


Morning Rain

by Enkida



Category: Tekken, Tekken V
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-12
Updated: 2005-08-12
Packaged: 2019-08-03 01:52:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 100,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16316879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enkida/pseuds/Enkida
Summary: Join Xiaoyu during the fifth tournament as she struggles to find the true meanings of friendship, love and growing up. COMPLETE





	1. 00: Blooming Flower

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Foreword: This is my first attempt at Tekken fan fiction. I will freely admit, I'm not the best at the game, so my fight descriptions may seem a little off. This story is mainly about Xiaoyu, because I really disliked her story arc in Tekken 5 and wanted to create one where she was a little more serious. I believe Chinese naming convention is last name first, so this story assumes "Ling" is a family name and "Xiaoyu" is her first name. I also don't insert Chinese or Japanese phrasing into the story as I speak neither language, so please forgive the English cultural interpretations.  
> As per usual, all things Tekken are copyright of Namco. This story was written in fun, and I am gaining no monetary profit or other benefits from doing so, apart from the warm and fuzzy feelings which I get when people leave reviews. So please, if you're reading this, leave them, I beg of you!

" _ Jiiiaaaaaa! _ "

The shrill female cry rang out across the garden, followed shortly by a much higher-pitched scream and a loud thump. Slowly, a young girl rose to her feet, wincing and rubbing her bottom as she stood. Though she was already thirteen years old, the two sprouts of hair sticking up from her head made her look much younger. Her behaviour as she rearranged her dishevelled ponytails and straightened up did nothing to dispel the illusion. "Grandpa!" she yelled, twisting her lips into a huge pout. "That hurt!" The dark-haired girl kicked angrily at the dirt as the old man standing across from her let out an amused laugh.

"Xiaoyu," he began gently. "You must learn to concentrate, or you will never become a successful fighter." He gave the girl a stern look as she rolled her eyes upwards and planted her hands on her hips. "My memory may fail me at times, my dear girl, but I remember quite clearly what you told me this morning."

Xiaoyu sighed and blew her bangs out of her eyes with exasperation. "I know, I know! I said I'd rather spar with you than do my chores!" It had seemed like a good idea at the time, considering the massive amount of cleaning her mother had set aside for her. "But look, I've ended up sweeping the yard with my butt anyway! Can't you let me have a break?"

"No breaks, no pauses," Jinrei countered sternly. "And watch your mouth! You young people have no respect for anything these days," he grumbled. "I see I will have to teach it to you once again. Defend yourself!"

Xiaoyu's eyes widened as the old man came at her, dropping automatically into her own defensive crouch. For being what was, in her opinion, the definition of an old geezer, her grandfather could move with an amazing amount of speed and accuracy. And unfortunately for her, he could also hit with an amazing amount of power when he chose to. Once again, Xiaoyu saw the sky reel overhead before landing heavily on her back. After waiting for the stars and birds to stop circling around her field of vision, she gave a huge sigh and stared up at the clouds overhead.  _ I'm just going to end up in this position in another few seconds, _ she reasoned with herself.  _ Why bother getting up? _ Her sore muscles happily agreed with her brain's logic, and Xiaoyu smiled in tired satisfaction. Some moments passed, and then a cough was heard.

"I can also demonstrate methods of striking your opponents while they are down…" began Jinrei.

With a huge groan, Xiaoyu quickly rolled to her feet and gave her grandfather her best version of the evil eye. Considering her wild pig-tails, the dirt streaked across her face and the ever-present pout, it wasn't a very effective look. Jinrei smiled back placidly at her furious glare, fully knowing it would only enrage the sulking girl even more.

"You must learn discipline, child! You have such talent, but you refuse to use it." He gave another sigh, watching as Xiaoyu stomped her foot in anger. "You remind me so much of Lee, little one," he said with a note of nostalgia in his voice. "Except he had the ability to focus, something which you lack. Look at him now, adopted by the Mishima family and on his way to a long, happy life of success! You could do just as well if you would only take your lessons seriously!"

Xiaoyu shrugged her shoulders angrily. "Mishima this, Mishima that! You're always talking about the Mishimas! Well guess what, Gramps, I'm not Lee, and I'm not going to be adopted by some super-rich old guy in Japan! Dad's dead, we're poor, and you teaching me how to fight isn't going to change anything!" she yelled. She paled as she saw Jinrei's face drop at her outburst, and suddenly found the packed dirt by her feet extremely interesting. "I'm sorry, grandpa, I didn't mean-"

"I've always tried to support your mother as best I could," Jinrei began in a wounded voice. "I know that as an old man, I cannot give you and your brothers all of the things that you want." He shook his head regretfully, stooping over and suddenly looking every bit his age. Xiaoyu felt a stab of guilt and shuffled her feet nervously as he turned his back to her and slowly began to walk away.

"Grandpa, I'm sorry! I know you're trying your best," she fumbled. Her feet felt as though they were leaden, rooted to the ground before her. "I was just frustrated, really! I didn't mean it!" She snuck a glace upwards and saw that he was still shuffling towards the house and away from her. "Grandpa!" she called out again, now panicking. "Please, come back! I really didn't mean it! I'll concentrate, I promise!" Her guilt evaporated as the old man spun around suddenly, a smile spreading across his face.

"Oh you will, will you? Well, perhaps I can forgive your rudeness if you perform your lessons well today, and then do your chores.  _ And _ help me carry my fish to the market." He chuckled as he moved back inside of the rough circle they had drawn onto the ground and adjusted the sleeves of his robes.

"What—did you just-hey, wait a sec, I've been had!" Xiaoyu exploded, her face turning a shade of red bright enough to match her jacket. "Grandpa, that's not fair!"

Jinrei only chuckled. "I didn't become a successful merchant by accident, child!" he told her. "And I know quality goods when I see them. You do have talent, Xiaoyu, the ability to become a truly great fighter. None of your brothers have ever shown such potential. It would be shameful to let such a talent go to waste."

Xiaoyu growled at her grandfather angrily. "Maybe I want to waste it, ever think about that!" she yelled defensively. But it was only a half-hearted yell, and already she had dropped to her crouch, mirroring the old man. "Besides, I'm too weak to be a good fighter! Why even bother?"

"Strength is not power, Xiaoyu," he mumbled as he lunged forward, grunting with approval as she avoided the blow. "But you are correct," he added, catching her foot with his heel as she back stepped, sending her to the ground once more. "At the moment, you have neither. That is why you must continue your lessons with me every day. Besides," he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "Carrying the fish to the market will surely develop those muscles of yours!"

Xiaoyu's high-pitched wail of despair was joined by the sound of Jinrei's laughter as the two continued their sparring match in the crisp morning air.


	2. 01: Pushing Hands

_ Tick... tick... tick... tick... _

Xiaoyu blinked and tried to keep herself awake. The ticking of the clock on the wall was hypnotic, lulling her to sleep. Her eyelids grew heavy and soon her head nodded forward despite her resolve. As she fell forward, the movement startled her into awareness. She shot up straight in her desk, her eyes wide open and searching for the forthcoming angry teacher with the inevitable reprimand in hand. Her moment of panic was short lived as she looked around, seeing the other bored students surrounding her in the lecture hall. One of the guys in the seat next to her even had his head back and was openly snoring while their oblivious professor carried on with his lesson.

"Right, I'm not in high school anymore," Xiaoyu mumbled, looking down at the messy scrawl in her notebook. Her pencil had made a dark, wide slash across the sheet at exactly the point where she nodded off, turning her page of half-hearted notes into a large doodle. She blinked and looked at the clock again.  _ Fifteen minutes left to go, _ she mentally noted. Then she glanced at the board, comparing it with her notes, and sighed. "Geez, this is hopeless," she groaned. She stared at the professor again, who looked more like a large insect than a full-grown human from her high seat in the lecture hall, and grinned slightly. "Well, it's not like he's going to notice anything, and I missed out on most of class today, and I really have to go meet Miharu for lunch, and we were going to go shopping afterwards, so I guess no one will mind if I skip out a little early today!" Nodding to herself at the explanation, she carelessly shoved her pencil and notebook into her fuzzy panda backpack and tiptoed out of her seat. The professor didn't blink an eye, but the student next to her did snort loudly and smack his lips before returning to his loud snoring.

As she shut the door of the lecture hall behind her and raced outside to the cafeteria, Xiaoyu felt a huge smile breaking over her face. The smile intensified as she saw a familiar mop of hair waiting for her at one of tables sitting outside. "Miharuuuuu!" she yelled, waving to her friend, who turned and smiled at her.

"Xiao!" she said as the pigtailed girl threw her arms around her. "Hey, you're early! What are you doing here so soon, I thought you still had class?" Miharu smiled and released Xiaoyu, sitting down at the small table.

"No words, just hand over the cola!" Xiaoyu demanded impatiently, grabbing at a cup on the table and taking a long drink. There was a momentary pause, and then a large sigh of relief as Xiaoyu put the beverage down. "God, I needed that! You wouldn't believe how boring college level math is!" she complained.

Miharu giggled, grabbing the other steaming cup on the table and taking a sip. "Xiao, you're so addicted to caffeine it's not funny. You really should try coffee sometime, it'll help keep you awake during those lectures now that your teachers aren't policing the classrooms anymore." She raised her cup invitingly, offering her coffee to the other girl with amusement.

Xiaoyu leaned back and wrinkled her nose in response, sticking out her tongue. "Yuck, coffee tastes gross! I'm fine getting my caffeine high from cola, thanks very much. Besides, I know how YOU get when you don't have your full dose," she added wryly. "I'm not ready to pick a fight with you so soon after a nice nap." She put her hand on her chin and stared off into space as Miharu grinned and took another sip.

"You know, you can put sugar in coffee too, Xiao," Miharu teased. She stopped as she noticed Xiaoyu was no longer listening. "Xiao? Hello? Earth to Xiaoyu?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah!" Xiaoyu said, blinking and looking up as her friend eyed her crossly. Noticing the peeved expression on Miharu's face, she fumbled for an excuse. "Sorry, Miharu, I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

Miharu sat back and nodded understandingly. "It's about Panda, isn't it?" she said sympathetically.

Xiaoyu nodded slightly. "Not just Panda, Mi. It's everything, kinda. I wish we were back in high school. Things were better then, weren't they?" Her eyes glassed over as she thought about her time at the old Mishima High School. "Everything was so simple!" She looked down in surprise as she felt Miharu's hand come over her own and squeeze it.

"Hey, Panda might be back in China, but I'm still here. And believe me, that Mishima guy won't be able to get rid of me as easily as he did Panda, right?"

As Xiaoyu looked into Miharu's grinning face, she could only manage a weak smile.  _ He could probably get rid of you more easily than you think, Mi, _ she thought to herself. That sent a cold chill down her spine, and she banished it with another quick gulp of her soda. Swallowing, she grinned at her friend. "I don't think you need to worry, Miharu, he won't come after you. After all, you're not part of the financial burden on the Mishima Corporation. You're just the best friend of one annoying little company accident." She gave another small sigh and planted her chin in her palm. "I wish Grandpa Heihachi was still alive. No matter what anyone said about him, he was always nice to us. Everything's changed since  _ Kazuya _ took charge," she said, spitting out his name venomously.

Miharu leaned back, blinking in surprise. "Geez, Xiao, what's with you? You don't sound normal when you talk about him! Are you PMSing or something?"

Xiaoyu laughed weakly.  _ Huh, I wonder if I should tell Miharu what Yoshimitsu told me, _ she thought to herself.  _ Heihachi tried to kill his own son. Kazuya tried to kill his own son, too _ .  _ And Jin… _ she felt a stab of pain in her heart as the image of the spiky-haired youth passed through her mind's eye.  _ Jin… _ Sensing Miharu's eyes on her, she shook her head slightly. "No, Kazuya's just… really mean, I guess. If he wasn't such a rotten guy, Jin might not have run away." Xiaoyu was quite proud of herself, her voice had only quavered a little at the mention of Jin's name.

"Ah-hah, so  _ that's _ the real problem," Miharu said in satisfaction, leaning back and crossing her arms. "You know what? You've got it bad, Xiaoyu. You still miss Jin, even after he acted like a total bastard at the last tournament! Didn't he beat you up or something?"

Xiaoyu felt her cheeks flame and shook her head angrily at Miharu. "Hey, don't say things like that about Jin! He's a nice guy! And he didn't beat me up at the last tournament, we didn't even get to fight. I was eliminated by his dad before I got to face him," she added with disappointment. "I actually wanted to meet him."  _ I would have let him win, too, anything just to have the chance to see him, _ she thought to herself. She fell quiet, fiddling with the fuzzy keychain hanging off of her bag. "He did seem preoccupied during the tournament, though," she added nervously. "I hope Jin's okay. I just know he'll get in touch with me as soon as he's able to," she added quickly.

Miharu sighed and shook her head. "It's been almost half a year, Xiaoyu. How long are you going to keep waiting for him?" She sniffed and tossed her head as the other girl gave her a mournful look. "Well, if you want to pine for him, that's fine, but I think you should get over him. He barely talked to you when we were in school together, and then he left without a word, twice! That's definite male pattern behaviour if I ever saw it. I think you should move on, girl." Miharu's eyebrow rose speculatively. "Say, I know a few people who would love to date you. Just give me the chance, and I'll have you over Jin in no time!"

Xiaoyu sighed in exasperation. "Miharu, I don't want to be set up with anyone else right now. Besides, like I said, it's not just boy problems bothering me! All I need is a good shopping trip to take my mind off of things," she said. "And I  _ know _ you can help with that!" The two girls broke down into giggles and finished their drinks. "Alright, let's get outta here and do some serious damage at the mall!" Xiaoyu cheered. Her high spirits fell somewhat as they made their way out of the cafeteria and into the afternoon sunlight.

"Uh-oh," Miharu groaned, slowing to a walk. Sitting on the street before them was a sleek black limo, and both girls knew what that meant. "Maybe they're mad at you for skipping class," she whispered to her friend as the other girl scowled and clenched her fists.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Xiaoyu answered as she shooed Miharu away. "Go on, I'll call you later," she said, then strode purposefully towards the limousine. The driver stepped out of the car and swung the door open perfectly on cue. "So what is it now?" Xiaoyu asked cheekily, brushing by the driver and sliding into the back seat. "I had plans today, you know."

"Mr. Mishima desires to see you," the driver replied before shutting the door. Xiaoyu stuck her tongue out at him behind the darkened glass window, but she knew she wouldn't get any further answers from the man. The Mishima household demanded absolute obedience to the family from its servants. If there was one thing she had learned through her years of living with the Mishimas, it was that she was still an outsider, no matter how special the treatment Heihachi gave her was. She sighed silently as the limo pulled away from the curve, watching Miharu's shrinking form with a pang of regret.

Residence at the Mishima mansion hadn't bothered Xiaoyu before; after all, it did have its perks. Living in the lap of luxury with nothing to want for was definitely a plus. Getting the chance to sleep under the same roof as Jin was another huge benefit. Though the Mishimas had kept Jin busy almost constantly, Xiaoyu had treasured the chance meetings they did share in the household. Her favourite times had been "accidentally" stumbling across Jin as he trained in the dojo; watching him practice was magical to her. After Jin moved away the first time, the mansion had lost some of its magic, but Heihachi's kindness to her and Panda's constant presence had given her a sense of peace and belonging. Then the Fourth Tournament was called, and in the space of one email, everything had changed.

Xiaoyu frowned absently as she watched the buildings pass by, reflected in the windows of the limousine. The tinted glass made everything lose its colour, subduing the life and energy of the world outside. Living in the Mishima Building for the past six months was having a similar effect on Xiaoyu. It had been bad enough to start doubting that her "adoptive" grandfather could be anything less than the generous, accommodating old man she believed him to be; but Xiaoyu had been certain the warning was Jin's doing, and she knew Jin cared for her. Still, she had never confronted Heihachi, never even had the chance to ask Jin if he had really been the one to send that email. And then the explosion occurred, and Xiaoyu's world came apart with Jin's disappearance and Heihachi's death.

The limo pulled up smoothly before the large, imposing skyscraper which housed the Mishima Corporation Headquarters. It also doubled as the current Mishima Residence. The Corporation was run by Kazuya Mishima now, and his personal and business philosophies had always been dominated by a sense of cruel efficiency. The door of the car opened, and Xiaoyu stepped out and paused for a moment to look up at the towering building before her. "I hate living here," she mumbled as she watched a few suits rush past her through the rotating doors. Steeling her resolve, she marched into the building with a scowl on her face.

Inside, she ignored the nonexistent "greetings" of the Tekken Force guards, which mostly consisted of them not opening fire on her as she angrily stabbed the button next to the elevator marked "private." The wait was short, and Xiaoyu was soon ascending towards the penthouse quarters, where she knew Kazuya would be waiting. Butterflies bubbled up in her stomach, and she grimaced and tried to convince herself that the feeling was anger. There were cameras everywhere in the building, and Xiaoyu knew that somewhere, someone was watching. She wouldn't allow herself to show any weakness to Kazuya, no matter how uncomfortable he made her feel. The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open to reveal a large, carpeted room surrounded by windows. An elegant desk stood against the back wall, and the occupant sitting in the large swivelling chair was turned away from her view. Xiaoyu could tell it was Kazuya, however, from the large mass of spiked black hair protruding over the top of the chair. She stepped forward and made her way to the desk, clearing her throat noisily as she approached.

The chair slowly turned, and Xiaoyu repressed her shudder as she looked into Kazuya's mismatched eyes. His red eye reminded her of the Jack androids, only their gazes were at least mercifully blank. Kazuya's stares were always layered with thinly veiled contempt and hatred. She stiffed her resolve, and planting a hand on her hip, attempted to sound bored. "Well, what do you want now? Lowering my allowance again?" she asked him cheekily.

Kazuya's eyebrow twitched as he regarded the young girl before him. Folding his hands under his chin, he glared at Xiaoyu for a moment before speaking. "For someone in a position such as yours, you speak with a confidence that you haven't earned," he replied. "Consider yourself lucky that I still  _ allow _ you a small stipend for your frivolous pursuits."

Silently Xiaoyu cursed at him, and decided on an offensive tactic. She glanced carelessly around the office, then turned back to Kazuya with a smile and crossed her arms. "Hey, I guess Uncle Lee hasn't visited today, huh? Everything's still intact!" As expected, the sharp comment elicited a deep scowl from Kazuya.

"That annoying pest regards you almost as highly as I do, you little fool. Should his pathetic bids for control of the Mishima Corporation ever come to fruition, I would still have the small satisfaction of knowing that YOU would be no better off." Cracking his knuckles, Kazuya reached for a stack of papers before him on the desk. "I didn't call you here to bicker over inconsequential matters," he added briskly. Finding what he was looking for, he took the small white envelope and held it up before Xiaoyu. "Do you recognize this?"

Xiaoyu turned her head slightly to regard the envelope, and then dropped her arms and her mouth open in surprise. Pointing at the offending object, she yelled "Is that what I think it is?" Seeing Kazuya smirk in satisfaction and drop the envelope, she planted her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. "Hey, what are you, nuts? We just had one six months ago! Why are you calling another tournament?" Xiaoyu was surprised once more as Kazuya began to chuckle.

"So you didn't know," he said smugly. "For your information, I am not the one who is sponsoring the tournament this time," he told her. "Of course, this would also mean that you have not received an invitation to participate." He grinned wolfishly as Xiaoyu recoiled at the statement. "Apparently the sponsor of this tournament does not hold your martial abilities in as high regard as my father did," Kazuya finished.

Xiaoyu felt the colour rising to her cheeks even as the pit of her stomach sank to her toes.  _ No, it can't be! I have to be invited this time, I always am! _ Remembering who she was standing before, Xiaoyu quickly smoothed away the shock on her face and scowled at Kazuya. "My invitation just hasn't arrived yet, that's all," she hedged. "Just you wait, I'm going to be in this tournament, and I'm going to kick your butt this time!" She frowned as Kazuya only laughed louder at her.

"What charming phrases you children use today," Kazuya taunted, smirking at the fuming girl. "I would like to remind you of exactly how you lost at the last tournament," he added, cracking his knuckles dangerously. Seeing the fear rise on Xiaoyu's face, he grinned cruelly and stood from his chair.

An aura of malevolence encompassed Kazuya's form as he moved around the desk and approached Xiaoyu. She stepped back, thankful that her knees were not knocking together as her breath caught in her throat. The presence of evil in the room was so overwhelming she thought she might choke, and once again Yoshimitsu's words echoed through her head.  _ "Kazuya is dangerous. His heart is blackened, his soul tainted by the devil, his body twisted by science. If you value your life, do not challenge him." _ Seeing Kazuya Mishima tower above her, cloaked by heavy shadows as his eyes glowed with an unnatural light, she found she couldn't move, barely even breath in the face of such power.  _ This is why I lost at the last tournament,  _ she thought desperately _. I can't fight a power like this!  _ Her panicked thoughts must have echoed across her face, because Kazuya's mouth stretched into a slow, evil grin as he regarded her.

"You are weak," he growled, towering over the tiny girl. "You lack focus, discipline, and the strength to succeed. I personally find you to be a pathetic excuse for a fighter." Leaning in, he grinned once more, revealing pointed teeth as Xiaoyu drew back with a squeak of fear. "You are fortunate that I find insects like yourself to be beneath my notice. Otherwise, I might take offence to your attitude. And believe me, you do  _ not _ want to offend me."

Xiaoyu nodded once quickly, and it seemed to satisfy Kazuya, who turned away from her and returned to his desk. As he did so, the dark aura faded, and Xiaoyu found she could breathe once more. Immediately, a sense of anger flooded her, and one thought floated to the top of her head.  _ That's not fair! _ her mind screamed. And, never having known when to quit, Xiaoyu replied with the only successful attack she could think of on a moment's notice. "So if you're not sponsoring the tournament, that means Uncle Lee must be, right?" she said tauntingly. "It's a real shame he's not running the Mishima Corporation yet, seeing as how he's so much better at organizing stuff than you are!" Her angry grin faded to a nervous gulp as she saw Kazuya freeze and his back stiffen.

"Ling Xiaoyu. Granddaughter of that old fool Wang Jinrei, are you not? How fortunate that you are related to a respected friend of the Mishima family, it has kept you alive this far. But you make the mistake of thinking that I have the same tolerance as my idiot father." He moved his head slightly, not even bothering to turn around and face Xiaoyu fully. "If you keep pushing, little girl, you shouldn't be surprised when something pushes back."

Xiaoyu gritted her teeth as Kazuya turned his head away and looked out the window. "What's that supposed to mean, you big meanie?" she spit out, glaring at the back of his head. "Are you gonna kill me now or something?" She held her breath, fearing his answer, considering what fighting stance to drop into, thinking of how she really should have gone shopping with Miharu instead, wondering if Jin would somehow magically burst through the elevator doors and save the damsel in distress, calculating if Kazuya would bother ruining his expensive purple smoking jacket by growing wings, and wondering just how big of a stain she would make on the office carpet. All of these things ran through her mind in the space of a second, but Kazuya's answer was the one thing she hadn't expected.

"You are not worth the time or the trouble to kill. In fact, there's no reason for the Mishima Corporation to tolerate your frivolous presence here any longer. Pack your things, you leave tomorrow." With that, Kazuya sat at his desk and began rearranging the carefully ordered papers there, clearly expecting Xiaoyu to leave without a word.

Her mouth opened and closed several times, and then Xiaoyu stepped forward. "W-what do you mean? What are you planning to do to me?" she asked in confusion. She sucked in her breath as Kazuya glanced back up at her lazily, the anger in his gaze gone, replaced only by a look of annoyed boredom.

"I thought I was being clear, but I had forgotten how slow you are to pick up certain things. You are going back to join your imbecile pet and senile grandfather, something which my own father should have done years ago. Ling Xiaoyu, you no longer enjoy the protection of the Mishima Corporation, and are therefore no longer welcome in Japan. You are to be deported tomorrow morning."


	3. 02: Dark and Stormy

Xiaoyu stared up into the darkness, chewing her lower lip. "My last night in the Mishima household," she mumbled to herself. With a frustrated sigh she turned over, pulling the blankets around her shoulder and thought about her predicament once more.

After Kazuya Mishima's declaration Xiaoyu had stormed from his office and straight to her room. Her first thought had been to run to Panda and cry out her frustration. Realizing that Panda was in China and that she would be rejoining her furry friend shortly helped somewhat. Then she thought about Miharu and the tears welled up again. Xiaoyu hadn't realized how much of herself she had planted in Japan until the reality of Kazuya's words sunk in. The thought of seeing her family again after so many years was comforting, but honestly, Xiaoyu knew she didn't want to return. Reluctant as she was to admit it, being spoiled by Heihachi was one of the things Xiaoyu would miss the most. The fancy clothes, toys, the freedom to breathe, to be alive and to have fun - that was something that was missing in her life in China; all that would wait for her in her homeland was hard work. Xiaoyu also knew that was the true reason her grandfather had ignited her curiosity about the Mishima family on her fateful vacation to Hong Kong two years ago. But it wasn't just the material things that made Xiaoyu regret her confrontation with Kazuya. She thought of her first year at Mishima Industrial College, her friendship with Miharu and most of all, of Jin.

"I just can't go back to China!" Xiaoyu moaned, grabbing her pillow and throwing it across her room. "Sleep is just not an option right now." With a tired sigh, she rolled out of bed. Yawning loudly, she pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and rolled up the sleeves of her bright pink pyjamas. Sliding into her fuzzy slippers, she stumbled towards the door, briefly sparing a reflexive glance into the darkened mirror. "At least there's no way the guards are going to think I'm a thief," she said dryly before padding out.

Xiaoyu squinted and gave an irate sigh as she looked into hallway. "One thing I won't miss is living in this stupid office building," she mumbled, making her way down the dark corridor. "But if this is going to be my last night here, I'm going to make the most of it," she vowed, stomping determinedly in the direction of the communal kitchen. "Double cream cheesecake, here I come!" Her mission to intercept the remaining sweets in the Mishima kitchen was forgotten, however, as the sound of splintering glass echoed through the hallway, followed by a low moan. Xiaoyu froze, her eyes widening as her heart began to thump wildly in her chest. No guards came running to investigate; then again, this was Kazuya's company now, and it was well-known how little respect he had for Heihachi's Tekken Force. She wouldn't have been surprised if Kazuya left only a skeleton crew on guard during the evenings; sometimes she could swear that man enjoyed being ambushed, probably because of his unbelievable confidence in his ability to defeat any potential attacker. But no guards and no Mishimas meant no knowing what might happen to her if it really was a break-in.

"And," she whispered excitedly to herself, "if I catch whoever it is, Kazuya will have to let me stay!" With that, her mind was made up. Sucking in her breath, Xiaoyu crept towards the door from where the noise had emanated. With a loud yell, she kicked it open and rolled into the room, rising to a phoenix crouch. "Whoever you are, you better give up now if you don't want to get hurt!" she yelled shrilly, scanning the room. There was no sign of the intruder, but the remains of the shattered window covering the floor and the cold evening breeze confirmed her suspicions. Xiaoyu carefully stayed away from the jagged opening, not wanting to be overwhelmed by vertigo from the sheer drop to the ground below. "Who's there?" she called uncertainly, squinting into the darkness. Moonlight reflected off of the myriad shards of glass, bathing the room with an unearthly silver glow. The seconds ticked by, and Xiaoyu's leg began to cramp as she strained to hold her position, but she didn't dare move a muscle. "I know you're there," she called out again, clenching her teeth. "Stop hiding like a coward!" A slight movement to her left caught her eye, and she was already in motion, moving to block the dark form.

"Haaaah!" she yelled, launching herself into a round kick aimed to stun whoever it was in hiding. To her surprise, her heel only caught on air as the hunkered form ducked back swiftly. Her surprise increased as the hooded figure spoke. "You always were fast," he mumbled.

"Jin?" Xiaoyu's eyes widened. "Jin, is that you?" Time seemed to slow down as the hooded figure straightened. Her heart beat faster and heat rushed to her face as he turned to face her. The spiked hair, the burning stare and the finely chiselled contours of his face… she knew them by heart. "It is you!" she breathed, launching herself into his arms. "I missed you so much Jin," she cried in a rush, "why didn't you try to call or write? I was so worried after the last tournament…" Her excited buzz died down as she noticed the stiffness in Jin's body, and she felt a chill as he gently grasped her wrists and pushed her away.

"You shouldn't be here," he murmured darkly, turning his face away from her questioning stare.

"Jin?" she asked once more, looking more closely at him. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and he seemed to be breathing heavily. "Are you sick? You don't look too good," she began, but he cut her off brusquely.

"Where is he?" he said roughly.

Xiaoyu's mouth opened and closed in soundless surprise. It was true that she hadn't seen very much of Jin since she was sixteen, even though they both participated in the fourth Iron Fist Tournament. Even then, he had always been at the least polite to her, and she liked to imagine perhaps something even more. But the Jin before her tonight seemed changed, impatient and uneasy. She could almost feel the energy coming off of him in waves. Worried, she took a cautious step backward. "Jin, you're scaring me," she said nervously.

"Where is he?" he repeated, his tone turning dark and ugly. "Tell me now!" Jin whirled on Xiaoyu, his eyes burning with feverish intensity.

"W-who?" she answered, taking another step back. "I don't understand!" This only seemed to infuriate him more.

"Kazuya Mishima! I want to know where he is!" Jin growled, reaching forward and grabbing her arms painfully. Xiaoyu hissed as his fingers dug into her flesh through the thick material of her pyjamas, bruising the tender skin below.

"Jin, you're hurting me!" she cried, tears of pain and confusion springing to her eyes. "Let me go!" Her soft cries only seemed to agitate him more, and for the first time that evening, he focused fully on her. Suddenly Xiaoyu was scared. This wasn't the Jin she remembered. As much as she had dreamed of the moment when she would finally capture his attention, this was definitely not how she imagined it happening. The burning stare he was directing at her was not filled with love or affection; it was hollow and hungry. With a sinking sensation, she realized that she was familiar with that gaze. "You look just like Kazuya!" she blurted out. It was definitely the wrong thing to say, and Jin's features began to contort with rage.

"Don't compare me to him!" he roared, pushing her away. "I'm nothing like that bastard!" Another low moan tore from Jin's throat and he sunk to his knees, gasping for air.

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, Xiaoyu's fear vanished, replaced by concern.  _ Stupid, stupid Xiaoyu! How could you compare him to Kazuya? _ she asked herself.  _ It's like comparing the sun and the moon!  _ He was obviously in pain, and she rushed to his side, grasping his trembling shoulders. "You're hurt! Please, let me help you!" A surprised blush crossed her face as Jin turned, pale and drenched in sweat, but looking at her with his own eyes, the eyes she knew and loved.

"It's dangerous here," he ground out, panting. "You have to leave,  _ now _ ." Xiaoyu opened her mouth to protest, but Jin silenced her. "I don't have time to argue with you." Seeing her concerned expression, his own softened slightly. "I'm sorry, Xiaoyu, but you wouldn't understand," he added.

"But I want to!" she protested immediately, kneeling next to him. "I've thought about you every day since you left. Can't you tell how I feel? Can't you even trust me?" she pleaded. She saw Jin pause, and waited anxiously for him to reply. Before he could, however, another voice interrupted them.

"So you came." Kazuya's smooth voice rolled across them like a splash of cold water, and Xiaoyu instinctively cowered behind Jin's figure as his father stepped into the room. "Ruining my offices again? I should charge you for this sort of destructive behaviour," he said with a smirk. The light comment didn't hide the evil energy that was radiating from his body in dark waves. Again Xiaoyu felt herself choking, paralysed by the consuming fear that Kazuya's demonic powers could evoke when he called upon them. But to her shock, the oppressive pressure she felt was also coming from Jin himself. With a gasp, she fell onto her butt and scuttled backwards as Kazuya approached them.

"Yes… I can feel it," Kazuya said, grinning. "Give in to the taint," he coaxed the trembling young man. His grin widened as Jin's form tensed, and a painful cry tore from his lips.

Xiaoyu watched, dumbfounded, as black wings unfurled from Jin's back with a popping sound. Black patterns blossomed over his chest and arms, and horns sprouted from his forehead. As she watched the transformation, the first thought that came to Xiaoyu's mind was that it was breathtaking. She might have even gone so far as to call it beautiful, had it not been for the choking evil that radiated from Jin's body. When his eyes finally opened, they glowed with an intense inner light, and she could only think how wrong it looked to see Jin's features twisted by his demonic transformation.

Kazuya, on the other hand, was smiling. "Now I will finally be complete!" he gloated, before rushing towards Jin.

Xiaoyu screamed as the two slammed into each other and scrambled behind the first barrier she could find, which happened to be a large desk. Peeking out from behind her shelter, she watched in awe as father and son fought. With their red glowing eyes, spiky hair and mirrored fighting styles, it would have been hard to tell the two men apart in the darkness, but for the horns and huge black wings extending from Jin's back. Even as she watched their awe-inspiring battle, however, her initial panic was subsiding into something quieter. "It's that evil power that makes me seize up," she rationalized. She had always chalked it up to Kazuya being a plain old creepy guy. Now that she felt the same sensation from Jin, though, she realized it was something more. "Maybe there was something to all those lessons grandpa Jinrei tried to show me after all," she murmured. Despite the discomfort the evil presence had on her physically, realizing that it came from Jin helped break the paralysing fear that had held her before. "Hey, now that I know what it is, I'll be able to beat Kazuya next time!" she told herself with a small smile, focusing on the battle once more.

The smile faded as she watched the fluid fight between the two, and somehow she knew it wasn't just the thick, oppressive aura surrounding the men that prevented her from taking action. Their fighting was smooth, flawless and, she realized as she watched them, completely out of her league. A sense of despair welled up in her chest as understanding bloomed.  _ They're not just fighting; they're fighting for their lives! _ The knowledge crashed over her in waves.  _ This is the real reason I've never succeeded at the tournaments, this is what Heihachi always knew! _ For Xiaoyu had never fought to kill before, had never even considered why Jin and the other participants carried the haunted look in their eyes when they fought. A small part of her screamed in anguish as the veil of innocence dropped away from her mind. The epic battle between father and son she was witnessing was no longer a work of art, but a horrible nightmare. Suddenly, she couldn't stand watching them anymore, and sprang out of her hiding spot.

"Stop it, both of you just stop it!" she cried, balling her fists under her chin as tears sprang into her eyes. Kazuya ignored her completely, but Jin's head snapped around at her cry, his eyes glowing with their unearthly hue. Xiaoyu gave a tiny scream of dismay as the father capitalized on the son's momentary distraction, landing a spinning backfist across Jin's face. To his surprise, however, the movement didn't stun Jin as he had hoped.

"You will not defeat me!" Jin roared, his voice echoing strangely across the room. With an anguished cry, light erupted from his forehead and lanced through Kazuya, knocking him to the floor in a stupor. There was a moment of silence as the dust settled, and then, slowly, Jin stalked over to the prone figure of his father, wings swaying slightly. Wordlessly, he reached down and pulled up Kazuya's weakly struggling form by the throat. "Fear the wrath of God," his voice echoed monotonously as he prepared to land the killing blow.

Xiaoyu watched in horror as Jin raised his clawed hand, knowing fully well what he intended to do. "Jin!" she yelled. "Don't do it! Don't kill your own father!" she pleaded desperately. Jin's hand paused, and still holding Kazuya, he turned to look at her.

_ This is it, _ Xiaoyu thought suddenly, her breath catching in her throat. Thunder roared in her ears, and distantly she realized it was the beating of her own heart.  _ He heard me! He actually listened to me! He really does care! _ Her eyes lit up with hope as she searched Jin's twisted features for a hint of recognition. Instead, however, he only began to laugh, his voice deep and booming and tainted with an unnatural echo. "Jin?" Xiaoyu whispered, even as her dreams began to crumble.

"There is no longer 'Jin,'" answered the winged creature before her. "There is only Devil!" Forgotten, Kazuya fell to the floor in a heap as the demon turned and advanced on her.

This time, Xiaoyu was sure she felt her knees knock together as the glowing-eyed devil advanced. "This isn't how it's supposed to happen," she panicked, looking around the room desperately. "The beauty tames the beast, and they fall in love and live happily ever after!" she screeched, backing away as the demon hunched down and extended his wings. Again, reality revealed another unpleasant surprise as she quickly dodged the demon's first lunge, splintering her former barricade into firewood.  _ This isn't a fairytale _ , she thought in despair. As if to confirm the nightmare, dark laughter echoed behind her. Gasping, she ducked and rolled backward, aiming her feet at the demon's chin, hoping to catch him by surprise. He dodged her attack and growled lowly.  _ He's better than me, _ Xiaoyu thought with desperation as cold, clammy sweat beaded on her brow. "I'm too young to die!" she squeaked as the demon advanced on her again.  _ He's better than his father, and I couldn't even beat Kazuya before… isn't this when my life is supposed to start flashing before my eyes? _

It did, in a manner of speaking. Instead of reliving all of the things she would miss the most, though, a jumble of voices began to echo through her head.

" –  _ and you'll kick their asses!" Miharu laughed, sipping at her coffee. _

"…  _ the ability to focus, something which you lack," Jinrei scoffed. _

_ Panda's deep black eyes, searching, questioning, begging her not to enter the tournament- _

" _ I personally find you to be a pathetic excuse for a fighter," Kazuya said with disgust. _

_ Jinrei's frail voice explaining "Strength is not power, Xiaoyu _ ."

And finally her own voice, haunting her even as the devil approached to claim his next soul.

" _ I'm too weak to be a good fighter!" _

Something inside of her broke free as the devil reached to strike her.  _ Focus, Xiaoyu! _ It was as if she was thirteen once more, and could hear Jinrei coaching her as they sparred in the yard of her mother's house in China.  _ Watch him carefully. He's reaching for you… now _ ! A quick cartwheel spun her to safety, and the devil glared after her furiously. She took the moment to congratulate herself, and quickly regretted it as his fist suddenly made contact with her chin with a vicious uppercut that launched her into the air. The breath rushed out of her body when she slammed into the ground, and she barely managed to escape from the splintering kick that the demon would have landed on her head.

_ He's definitely stronger than me, _ she thought as she rolled to her feet.  _ But I'm faster than him! _ She watched Jin carefully for any sign of weakness, but without success. It was all she could do to continue dodging his aggressive manoeuvres, occasionally striking him to knock him off balance. He just seemed to absorb every hit she landed without even losing a feather. As if to add insult to injury, he was also tireless, as though the demonic energy warping his body was also unnaturally sustaining him. "I want to live!" she moaned to herself. And then, as despair began to cloud her vision, the solution appeared before her. Excitement caused the adrenaline to course through her body, giving her the strength to face him once more.

_ His weakness, I can see it! _ Even as she recognized the opportunity, another part of her cried out silently.  _ I want to live, but  _ **_he doesn't_ ** _ , not like this. _ It was true; no matter what the Devil might say about Jin being gone, his fighting was too aggressive, too confident. He was taking too many risks because he wanted to be defeated. She could almost hear Jinrei congratulating her, but it brought her no happiness. "Jin," she breathed sorrowfully. "If there's a way to save you, I'll find it!" It was the only farewell she could think of to give him as he dove at her once more. Stepping to the side, she avoided his lunge and latched onto his arm, using his own momentum to drive him to the floor. Dropping to the ground beside him, she swept the floor with a fast round kick, giving his body just enough momentum for her to send him flying upwards with a powerful lash of her foot. The devil roared in pain as his limbs flailed haphazardly, unable to control his flight.

_ Now's my chance! _ Spinning around, she fell into the familiar and comforting stance of the rain dance. Fluidly, she leaned back and lashed out with both of her fists, striking Jin twice quickly and driving him towards the open window. She followed with her back kick, using the powerful launcher to send him sailing out of the room and into the moonlit sky.  _ Well, I didn't exactly beat him, but I think it counts as a victory, _ she thought to herself as he fell away. Her breath hitched as the demon's wings extended, and for a moment she feared he would sail right back into the room and finish her off. Her body relaxed as she realized he was not returning, and Xiaoyu was filled with a sense of both overwhelming relief and loss. "I'm sorry, Jin," she gasped, her eyes filling with tears again.

A rasping cough spun her around quickly and her chest tightened once more. "Kazuya!" she yelled.  _ I forgot all about him! _ Her mind raced, panicking.  _ Is he going to attack me now? Should I throw him out the window too? Will that work? No wait, can he fly? _ She bit her lower lip uncertainly and watched him rise unsteadily to his feet.

"You," he ground out, the hatred rolling off of him in waves. "You drove him off!"

Xiaoyu sucked in her breath and calmed herself. The evil energy radiating out from Kazuya's body was still intimidating, but it no longer froze her like a deer caught in headlights. She gathered herself together and shot back at him with anger. "Don't you mean 'Thanks for saving my life, Xiaoyu?'" she yelled with a glare. She almost swore she could hear Kazuya's teeth grinding together before he looked up.

"If you're expecting my thanks, you're not going to get it," he spat out. "You can stay in Japan if you choose to," he added as an afterthought.

Xiaoyu knew it was as close as Kazuya Mishima, or any Mishima for that matter, would come to showing gratitude. Normally, hearing something like that coming from Kazuya's mouth would have had her doing ecstatic cartwheels. Things had changed, though, and her face scrunched up angrily as she heard his reply. "It's not enough!" she cried out, planting her hands on her hips. Kazuya stopped, turning his head slightly and glaring at her with his red eye. She sucked in her breath and pushed forward bravely. "I want to be in the tournament." Seeing his shoulders stiffen, she lowered her eyebrows in determination. "I know you can do it!"

Tension wound its way around the air as they both remained silent, locked in a battle of wills. Finally, Kazuya resumed his walk out of the demolished room. "Do what you want," he called over his shoulder irately. "I won't stop you."

Xiaoyu was left alone, shivering as the cold air blew through and the adrenaline kick wore off. She relaxed for a moment, shaking out her sore muscles reflexively. "I did it, Grandpa," she boasted into the empty room. "I won!" Her face dropped as another thought struck her, and she moaned and slapped her forehead. "Oh no… and I have to do it all over again in the tournament!"

Much later, the night guard would claim it was a high feminine wail of despair that echoed through the building which finally summoned them to the room, not the sound of any fight that might have occurred within.


	4. 03: Swallow Dance

The lobby of the Mishima Headquarters was buzzing from the throng of people gathered there. They came from all walks of life, all sorts of different backgrounds, but they had one goal in common: to be the King of the Fifth Iron Fist Tournament. Xiaoyu scooted around another contestant, trying not to stare as she recognized some familiar faces.

There was the unmistakable form of the Vale Tudo champion, Marduk, rising head and shoulders above every other human competitor. He was a relative newcomer to the scene, and had shaved his head in preparation for the fights. Xiaoyu thought it made him look like an exceptionally large, bronzed version of Mr. Clean, except that Mr. Clean was always smiling, whereas Marduk's face was pulled into a permanent scowl. She quickly ducked before he could notice her stare—and bumped into another contestant, who let out a loud cry.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" the girl exclaimed, dusting herself off as Xiaoyu backed away with a quick apology. Looking up, the first thing that greeted her was a massive pair of boobs barely contained by the tight shirt holding them in.

_ The Monteiro girl, _ she thought instantly as she pulled her eyes away from the bobbing chest before her. "Sorry!" she stuttered, secretly wondering how Christie managed to dress so shamelessly without batting an eyelash. The tanned girl flashed her a huge white smile, shaking her head.

"No problem!" the Brazilian called out, brushing by busily.

Xiaoyu continued to wind her way through the crowd until she caught a familiar flash of silver. Breaking into a wide grin, she ran over towards Lee Chaolan, waving wildly. "Uncle Lee! Uncle Lee!" she yelled, jumping to catch his attention. The silver-haired man turned slowly, one of his many pretty secretaries hanging off of one arm, as usual. As he caught sight of her, his eyebrow went up and a grimace passed over his face.

"Love, you'd better let go of my arm for now," he whispered to the secretary as Xiaoyu barrelled into him. The frown increased a notch as he pried the young girl off and pushed her back. "Ling Xiaoyu. I told you not to touch me like that." With a groan, he inspected his tuxedo and brushed it off. "Look, you wrinkled my suit!"

"Sorry, Uncle Lee, I couldn't help it," Xiaoyu mumbled, stabbing at the carpet with her toe. "I was just so happy to see you! Ever since Grandpa Heihachi died, Kazuya's been a great big meanie to me!" she complained. Noticing Lee's annoyed expression, she widened her eyes and did her best to look cute. "Come on, Uncle Lee, I know you missed me!"

"Just because we both trained under Master Wang doesn't give you the right to assume a family relation," he scolded Xiaoyu, smoothing out the lapels of his coat. "I do wish you'd stop doing that. I don't like to associate with people of a lower class," he added haughtily, wrinkling his nose with distaste.

"Oh," intoned a breathy voice, "you mean this adorable little girl isn't your niece?" The beautiful secretary looked disappointed. "That's such a pity, she's so cute!" Xiaoyu nodded wildly in agreement, widening her eyes a little more. As expected, Lee's arrogant attitude quickly took a back seat to his desire to score points with the arm ornament he had brought along to the tournament.

"Ah, um, yes," he fumbled, recovering and grabbing Xiaoyu, pressing her into an artificial hug of familial affection. "My beloved niece Xiaoyu, how I missed you these past few months. My how you've grown!" he said smoothly, patting Xiaoyu messily on the head.

Smiling, Xiaoyu leaned in. "Guess what, Uncle Lee! I have a secret for you, but you can't tell anyone else! Promise!" Ignoring the squealed "Aww!" of Lee's secretary, she waved him closer and pulled his ear down, ignoring the glare he shot at her.

"This had better be worth it, Ling," he growled as she cupped her hand over his ear.

"Can it, stuffy pants!" she whispered back hotly. "When I win this tournament," she said, and frowned slightly as he let out a loud bark of laughter, "I want you to take over the Mishima Corporation." This caught Lee's interest, and he turned his head slightly towards her.

"Assuming you even qualify for the finals, why on earth should I do that?" he asked her smugly. It was just a formality, she knew; Lee's greed and desire to run the company would ensure his agreement no matter what she said.

"Because you're good at it!" she whispered back reasonably. "And you're not as big of an ass as Kazuya. If I win, I let you take charge, and you let me stay here and keep my allowance, and help me out with  _ favours _ whenever I ask. Deal?" She leaned back and grinned broadly, bringing her knees together and crouching down with excitement. She knew it made her appear even younger than she was, and ignored the secretary's squeal of laughter.

"Oh, come now, Lee, how can you resist that?" the woman cooed, batting her eyelashes at the silver-haired man.

"I can't imagine," he answered dryly, levelling a stare at Xiaoyu, who smirked. "It looks like you're finally learning something," he murmured to her lowly, before stepping back and clapping his hand on her back painfully a few times. "Assuming that you win," he crowed loudly, though his eyes promised that she wouldn't, "of course I agree. I can't refuse my favourite niece, after all." He smiled tightly as the secretary latched onto his arm affectionately, and Xiaoyu flashed a victory sign behind the woman's back.

"I gotta run, Uncle Lee! See you in the tournament!" she cheered and jogged away hastily. "Heh, he's so predictable," she giggled to herself as made her way to the front of the lobby. Her eyes scanned the crowd once more, searching for a familiar spike of hair. Considering their confrontation in the building last week, she was disappointed but not particularly surprised to see that Jin was missing. Turning to the large board posted to the wall, she raced over the list quickly. She stopped momentarily as she came to her own name, her eyes resting on the brass letters with a touch of pride. Continuing her search, she paused in confusion and re-read one of the names. "Kazama, Asuka?" she wondered. "Does Jin have a sister I don't know about?" She briefly wondered about the new contestant and if her hair would be as wild and spiky as Jin's own. Shrugging, she looked further and found his name directly underneath the mystery girl. "Kazama, Jin," she said out loud thoughtfully. "So he is coming, after all."

"He'd better," growled a voice from behind her. "That bastard owes me."

Stiffening, Xiaoyu didn't bother to turn around. "Hwoarang," she grit out. "So you came again, too." Only two sentences, and already the Korean was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"Of course I came," he said lazily, stepping around and blocking her view with his tall figure. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against board, unconcerned as she yelled in protest. "I'm going to beat Jin Kazama once and for all this time."

"Some people were reading that, you know," she began. Seeing him shrug, her eyebrows lowered. "That's funny, I remember you swearing you'd beat Jin, oh, like, EVERY SINGLE TIME you've shown up! Doesn't it get old?" Xiaoyu responded, putting her hands on her hips. "Anyway, keep dreaming, Jin will kick your butt like he always does." She smiled as she saw Hwoarang's eyebrow twitch in annoyance before falling back into its typical bored expression.

"Like you're any better," he yawned. "Built any theme parks lately, Ling?" He smiled as Xiaoyu's face flushed bright red, from both anger and embarrassment. "Hey, you'd better stop getting all hot and bothered, kid. Unlike Kazama, I'm not interested in minors." His smirk widened as Xiaoyu began to sputter.

"For your information, I'm eighteen years old!" she yelled, pointing a finger at his nose. "And Jin's not like that at all, you pervert," she added. "He's a gentleman, not that a smelly barbarian like yourself would know anything about that."

"Eighteen, huh?" Hwoarang said thoughtfully, one eyebrow rising in disbelief. "Well, you sure don't look it," he said, dropping his eyes to her chest. "Flat," he added monotonously. "No wonder Jin can't get it up."

Xiaoyu felt her temper skyrocket as she regarded the laughing face of her Korean opponent. Technically, he proclaimed himself to be Jin's personal nemesis, but in her view, Jin's enemies were her enemies. Exacerbating the situation was Jin's consistent refusal to rise to Hwoarang's verbal bait, much to the frustration of the tall redhead. Sometimes Xiaoyu felt as though she alone was left with the burden of defending Jin's honour from his insults. Even without the spectre of Jin standing between them, however, Xiaoyu could tell that she and Hwoarang would have been natural opposites. It had started with the third tournament, when he had unexpectedly defeated her because she underestimated the reach of his long legs. It continued into the fourth tournament, when she had gleefully defeated him after he underestimated her speed, thereby robbing him of his chance to battle with Jin. Whatever the underlying reasons might have been, whenever she was in the proximity of Hwoarang, Xiaoyu saw red. "I AM NOT FLAT!" she screamed at him, balling her fists in anger and momentarily forgetting that she was standing in front of the extremely popular contestant listing in full view of all of the guests.

"Something wrong?" Hwoarang laughed, savouring his victory as Xiaoyu blushed an even deeper red in embarrassment in the face of the multitude of stares she was receiving. They both snapped to attention as a strict voice cut through their argument.

"I'm disappointed in you, Hwoarang. Your time in the army has brought you so low as to pick on young girls now?" The silver-haired man glared disapprovingly at his student, who stood up from the wall and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry, Master, I guess I just got carried away," he replied apologetically. A scowl crossed his features as he glanced up and saw Xiaoyu sticking her tongue out at him.

"Just apologize to the child and don't do it again," Baek replied, missing the look of fury that crossed over Xiaoyu's face as he called her a child.

"Yes, sir!" Hwoarang said smugly, turning to Xiaoyu. "Sorry 'bout insulting you,  _ little miss _ ," he smirked. "How about I make it up to you later, buy you a lollipop or something?" He grinned broadly as Xiaoyu fumed at him.

"Good," Baek said, oblivious to the tension between the two. "Now come on, don't loiter in front of the board," he continued, pulling Hwoarang away and ending the conversation prematurely.

Xiaoyu stared after their retreating figures, resisting the urge to make a dirty face at Hwoarang's back. She started in surprise as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder heavily, and a feminine voice greeted her.

"What a jerk, huh?" Turning, Xiaoyu found herself looking at a girl who was around her age. Her face was bright and open, but her eyes glinted dangerously, also following Hwoarang's back. "I don't like bullies," the girl continued, breaking off her stare and smiling at Xiaoyu. "My name's Asuka Kazama, and it's my first time here."

Xiaoyu blinked in surprise, and then smiled brightly. "Oh, so you're her!" she blurted out. "Wow, you must be around my age! I'm Xiaoyu, nice to meet you!" The two girls smiled at each other, and Xiaoyu bobbed her head in excitement. "It's nice to see another girl fighting in the tournament," she confided. "I always think there are way too many guys at these things!" She looked on in confusion as Asuka's face fell slightly. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing," the girl replied, looking a little disappointed. "It's just that I was hoping to make some new friends here, and you looked like just the type. But if you're gonna be in the competition, that means I'll have to beat you up," she added.

Xiaoyu huffed in indignation. "What makes you think you could beat me up?" she replied hotly.  _ Wait a second, this is Jin's sister, right? Way to go, Xiaoyu! I want to be on her good side! _ "Sorry," she back-pedalled quickly. "I guess Hwoarang put me in a bad mood. He always manages to do that. And you know, we can still be friends even if we're both competing. After all, Jin is in the tournament, too!"

Asuka nodded firmly, another warm smile breaking over her face. "Yeah, that's true. And don't worry, when I get around to fighting that Hwoarang guy, I'll let him have it for you," she said, cracking her knuckles. A look of confusion passed over her face. "But who's Jin? Is he your boyfriend or something?"

Xiaoyu's mouth dropped open. "Jin! Jin Kazama! Isn't he your brother?" She frowned as the look of confusion on Asuka's face grew larger, and pointed at the contestants' board. "There, see, right underneath your name. Jin Kazama." Asuka continued to regard the board with a blank look, and Xiaoyu tried again. "Kazuya Mishima and Jun Kazama's son?" she asked.

Asuka's face brightened, and she snapped her fingers. "Ah, I know. That must be Auntie Jun's kid. I think I heard a little about him. Never met him, though," she replied. "Wow, so he's the son of a Mishima. He must be loaded!" she said, her eyes widening. "I hope he's not snobby," she added. "If he is, I'll have to beat some manners into him before he goes around staining the Kazama name!"

Xiaoyu shook her head wildly, wondering at the girl's violent streak. "No, no, he's not like that at all. He's a nice guy, really!"  _ At least when he's not sprouting wings and being possessed by the devil, that is. _ She smiled so hard that her teeth hurt, hoping that Asuka believed her. Much to her relief, the girl smiled and nodded, clapping her on the back once more.

"Friends, then! Good luck in the tournament, Xiaoyu!" Asuka said with a smile. "I hope we don't have to fight, but I'll go easy on you if we do." Xiaoyu grinned and nodded happily. Both girls attention was caught as a murmur rose up through the crowd, and people began to swarm towards the front stage of the lobby. Silence quickly settled through the room as the familiar figure of Kazuya Mishima strode towards the podium. There was no visible sign of the battle he had fought with his son showing on his impassive face, Xiaoyu noted. He stepped up to the microphone, and without any fanfare, began to speak.

"Welcome to the Fifth King of the Iron Fist Tournament, hosted once again by the Mishima Corporation. I am sure most of you are familiar with Heihachi Mishima's enjoyment of showy displays." A cold frown flitted across his face as he paused. "It is an appreciation which I do not share. The tournament will last for one week. Fight order will be determined by random draw and posted each morning on the lobby board," he said briskly, glaring at the crowd. "Accommodations for contestants will be provided at the Mishima Residence Hotel at no cost, should you be unable or unwilling to find your own housing. Any further questions can be directed to the front desk here, at our corporate headquarters." With that, Kazuya turned away from the platform and began to stalk off.

More loud murmurs at the unusual tournament introduction rose from the crowd of gathered fighters. Finally a clear voice chimed above the others. Xiaoyu recognized it as the Native American girl, Julia Chang, who was once again taking part in the competition. "Wait just a second!" she shouted, pushing her way towards the stage. "I think we'd all like to have a little bit more information about this tournament," she stated angrily to Kazuya, who looked down at her from the stage with irritation. Spurred by the murmurs of agreement from the other contestants, she glared at Kazuya fearlessly. "We've been told that Heihachi Mishima is dead. Who's sponsoring this tournament, anyway? Are you the one who's going to personally battle the finalist?"

Kazuya glared at the young girl, and then looked out over the crowd. "Succeed in reaching the final round of competition, and your questions will be answered," he replied coldly. Ignoring Julia's protest, he strode off of the stage quickly, leaving the remaining contestants to trade rumours and gossip between themselves.

"I can't get a straight answer out of anyone here!" Julia said angrily. With a short grunt of frustration, she stormed out of the building, presumably to her hotel. A few others followed her, while the bulk of the contestants remained in the lobby, their chatter filling the room with a low murmur.

Kazuya's informal opening of the tournament had left everyone feeling uneasy, and sensing the tension that was winding through the crowd of competent fighters, Xiaoyu decided that it would be an excellent time for a tactical retreat. She was thankful for once that she lived in the large skyscraper so she wouldn't have to dodge any more tournament fighters on the way to the safety of her room. Saying a quick goodbye to Asuka, she made her way towards the private elevators at the back of the lobby. As she suspected, though, the pressure building from the uncertainty of the tournament soon erupted into blows between the remaining fighters.

"Get your hands off me!" shrieked Christie's high voice, pitched with indignation, followed shortly by the sound of a loud, ringing slap.

"No need to be rough, baby," came the deep reply, belonging to a dark-skinned kick boxer Xiaoyu vaguely remembered. Her view was soon blocked by another well-muscled dark-skinned figure, one she instantly recognized as belonging to Eddy Gordo.

"Back off before you get hurt," were his only words to the boxer as he stepped between the two. That was all it took for the first unofficial fight of the tournament to break out, and with two Capoeira masters on the rampage, it wasn't soon before a stray kick landed on another fighter in the crowded lobby. A load roar sounded, and then there was a crash as the masked wrestler King picked up the offender and swung him around the room. The resulting commotion brought in the police officer Lei, determined to break up the fighting, but meeting with very limited success.

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes and ducked as one of the lobby's vases came flying in her direction, shattering on the wall behind her. "Maybe I'll catch the elevator on the next floor up," she decided, changing her course towards the stairs. Tekken Force guards surged past her from the back rooms to quell the rioting, or at least give all of the remaining fighters a common target, making her progress difficult.

Pulling open the heavy door, she let out a huge sigh of relief as she entered the stairwell and let it close behind her, shutting out the commotion in the lobby. "This happens almost every time," she mumbled to herself, ascending up the stairwell. "I wish Panda was here to clear the way to the elevator," she added wistfully, leaning on the railing. "Stupid Kazuya!"

"Mmmm," rumbled a metallic voice. Gasping, Xiaoyu looked up to see Yoshimitsu crouching precariously on the railing above her. It looked like an impossible position to hold, one that required the utmost balance or at least very small feet, but the cyborg ninja managed to hold his position effortlessly. "Your bodyguard is not here," he stated, his strange glowing eyes boring into her.

Xiaoyu caught her breath and smiled at Yoshimitsu nervously. "Well, yeah, Kazuya sent Panda back to China," she admitted sadly. "He said she was too much of a bother to take care of. He said the same about me, actually," she added with a pout.

"Not good," came Yoshimitsu's reply. He executed a graceful flip, spinning head over heels to land delicately on the step below Xiaoyu's own. When he stood to his full height, she still had to look up slightly to meet his unnatural gaze. Despite the fact that he had saved her from the explosion at the end of the last tournament, his skull-like visage was more than enough to scare her ponytails into permanent stiffness, and she resisted the urge to turn around and race up the remaining steps to the next floor. "Your life is in danger once more," Yoshimitsu continued. "Leave this competition."

Shaking her head, Xiaoyu faced the ninja squarely. "No way! I mean, I'm really grateful that you rescued me at the last competition, and I still owe you big time, but I've got to compete in this tournament! I… I met Jin," she said slowly. Yoshimitsu's eyes flickered slightly at the statement, but he didn't move. "I want to help him," she pushed forward. "I've got to win, so I can find a way to save him."

"The devil curses the Mishima bloodline," Yoshimitsu replied after a moment of silence. "You will be hurt. You can do nothing." Though his face remained expressionless, necessarily because of the unmoving cybernetic mask that passed for his head, Xiaoyu still felt a sense of indignation course through her, as though she was being mocked.

"I know you think I'm just a stupid little girl!" she said hotly. "But I'll find a way to save Jin if I finish the tournament. And you can't stop me from trying! It's not your right!" She glared at Yoshimitsu, trying to pierce through his steel and glass skull with sheer determination.

"No bodyguard. No guarantees," answered Yoshimitsu slowly. "You might not be saved this time." He turned away from Xiaoyu. "You are sure?"

Releasing her breath, Xiaoyu nodded her head vigorously, feeling as though she had won another major battle. Another thought passed through her head as Yoshimitsu began to unceremoniously descend down the remaining stairs, his metal feet clunking heavily against the concrete. "Wait!" she called after his retreating back. He stopped, and turned to look at her. "I didn't ask you last time," she said hesitantly, poking her fingers together. "Why are you helping me?"

Yoshimitsu paused and seemed to consider her question. "Duty," he finally answered. He turned to continue his descent, and stopped in surprise as Xiaoyu laughed and clapped her hands behind him.

"Duty? Yeah right, whatever! That's okay, you don't have to tell me." She smiled broadly. "Whatever your reason, this means we're friends, right? That's so cool! I'm friends with a cyborg!" She flashed a victory sign at Yoshimitsu. "So if you ever need anything, you just come to Ling Xiaoyu! That's what friends are for!" she cheered, almost loosing her balance and tumbling down the stairs.

Yoshimitsu only shook his head slowly; his cyborg body lacked the ability to produce sweatdrops. "Mmmmm," he said with his unusual metallic voice. "Friends."

Ling smiled happily and skipped up the remaining steps to the next floor two at a time. "This is definitely a good start to the tournament. It's only the opening ceremony and I already made two new friends," she cheered to herself. Things were looking up; she hadn't felt this happy since before the fourth tournament. It put back a spring in her step and some of the old twinkle in her eye. "I know things will be different this time! Don't worry Jin, Xiaoyu is going to save you," she said to herself with a smile.


	5. 04: Fortune

The next morning dawned bright and early for Xiaoyu, and she could barely contain her excitement as she raced down the hallway and into the elevator that would deposit her in the lobby. Her stomach rumbled in protest to her hasty decision, but Xiaoyu banged her fist against it mercilessly. "Jin is more important than some stupid food!" she said to herself. "I wonder who I'll fight first?" She hopped from foot to foot, and practically exploded out of the elevator doors when they opened, surprising the guards. Crashing through the lobby noisily, she skidded to a halt in front of the board, searching the roster for the fight listings and locations.

With a cry of triumph, she found her name. Just as quickly, her face fell. "What? No way!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot in anger. "I don't fight until tomorrow? What kind of a bum deal is that?" Looking at the board more closely, she suppressed a groan. "And against Bruce Irvine, too," she mumbled. She remembered him now, the boxer who started the scuffle in the lobby the day before. "Great, just great, I have to fight an old lech for my first battle!" she complained, automatically turning to Panda for comfort. The lack of her giant furry friend brought her up short, dampening the elation that had been coursing through her body. "Right… this is my first competition without Panda," she said out loud. "That's okay, Xiaoyu, you can be strong," she encouraged herself.

"Talking to yourself now? Where I come from, they put you in special clinics for doing that."

Xiaoyu winced and felt her hair stand on end as the familiar voice grated across her nerves. "I'm in a good mood today," she said loudly. "Nothing can ruin my good mood right now, not even you," she continued in a sing-song voice. "So just shoo! Go stand in the corner and look angry or something, isn't that what you do best?"

Hwoarang laughed dryly, standing beside her and scanning the contestants' board. "Well good morning to you too, sunshine," he replied. He spotted her name and lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, so you don't actually have to get beaten until tomorrow. A free day of grace! No wonder you're so perky," he smirked.

"Humph," Xiaoyu huffed, repeating to herself silently that she would ignore him. She focused her attention on the board before her instead of the man beside her. It wasn't very hard to do as she studied the battle roster. " _ King versus Jack-5, Residence Poolside, 13:00..." _ She did a double take. "Jack-5? Why do they even still try with those things?" she muttered to herself. The next battle listed was even more interesting.  _ "Nina Williams versus Anna Williams, Building 7 Rooftop, 18:00," _ she read out loud. A low whistle brought her attention back to Hwoarang, who was also studying the line-up.

"I bet that fight's gonna stop traffic in the city," he chuckled. "They must be getting ready to condemn Building Seven if they're letting those two crazy sisters go at it up there."

Xiaoyu found herself agreeing with Hwoarang, but managed to catch herself before she could do so verbally. "Don't try to make conversation with me, I'm still mad at you," she huffed.

Hwoarang raised his hands in mock protest. "Oh, so sorry to offend you by breathing," he quipped sarcastically. "What crawled up your ass and died anyway? Loverboy didn't live up to your expectations last night?" He laughed and ducked backwards as Xiaoyu aimed a half-hearted strike at his head.

"Just do yourself a favour and shut the hell up, Hwoarang!" she snarled at him. "It's too early in the morning for this." Unfortunately, the cocky redhead couldn't catch a hint even if she plastered it to his forehead with a mallet. Instead of leaving her alone, he continued to smile infuriatingly at her until she felt the need to respond once more. "What!" she yelled.

"I must have touched a nerve, or you wouldn't go that particular shade of red," he observed. Seeing her incredulous expression, he grinned and offered his explanation. "Well, if you go sort of pink, you're just annoyed or trying to look cute to fool some old sucker. Red cheeks mean you're pissed. But," he added, raising his eyebrows and gesturing at Xiaoyu. "When your face turns all blotchy and your nose starts to run like that, then I know you're really mad. Like I said, I hit a nerve." He laughed as Xiaoyu began to tremble with rage. "Whoa, now that's what I call pre-volcanic," he added, "thanks for reminding me!"

"Aaah!" Xiaoyu screamed, squeezing her eyes shut as she shoved her fists under her chin and doubled over. "I won't kill anyone before my first match, I swear I won't, no matter how annoying or stupid or persistent he is!" she yelled to herself. Hwoarang's laughter made her eyes pop open and she quickly amended her previous vow. "Except for just this once," she added quickly, getting ready to plant a kick directly between the Korean's eyes.

"Chill out, Ling," Hwoarang said smoothly, backing away from her and bouncing on the balls of his feet in what to the untrained eye might have appeared to be nervous energy. Xiaoyu, however, recognized his loose fighting stance, and was mildly pleased that he could realize the dire consequence of his motor mouth. She took it back as he levelled another teasing insult at her. "Much as I know you want me, I didn't come here to satisfy your urges," he grinned.

"Could've fooled me," she replied, giving him her best death glare. "Why are you still here then? You want me to show you the ceiling up close?" she asked sweetly.

"Naw, I'm looking for Kazama," he answered, twisting back and forth quickly and carefully remaining out of reach of Xiaoyu's poised foot.

"Well I have news for you, she's looking for you too," Xiaoyu answered with a smirk. "I'd watch out if I were you, I think it's going to hurt when Asuka finds you." She laughed with minor satisfaction at Hwoarang's annoyed expression.

"Don't play games with me," he answered, the light humour dropping away from his face as he stopped moving and rested one hand on his hip. "Where's Jin? I haven't seen that bastard anywhere yet, but he's on the list."

Relaxing her own body slightly, Xiaoyu almost forgot to scowl at the tall redhead. "I haven't seen Jin yet either," she said sadly. "I hope he's okay…"

"Pah," Hwoarang said, stopping as the death glare Xiaoyu shot him warned him not to spit on the pristine floor of the Mishima lobby. "Of course Kazama's okay, that coward promised me he'd show up for our appointment this time." He scrutinized Xiaoyu's face more closely and his eyes widened with surprise. "You really haven't seen him, huh? Aren't you supposed to be his girl?"

Xiaoyu felt the heat rise to her face almost as quickly as the disappointment rose in her chest.  _ We didn't exactly part on friendly terms last time, _ she thought to herself.  _ Does it count as a break-up if you were never dating in the first place? _ Noticing Hwoarang's continued and most unwelcome scrutiny, she scowled at him again. "Mind your own business!" she shot back. She hated the knowing look that passed across Hwoarang's face even more than she hated his teasing. "Just leave me alone right now!" she added furiously, hoping she wouldn't cry in front of him. Moments like these were when she missed Panda the most; the giant bear would have conveniently batted the annoying Korean out of the way and let Xiaoyu make a tactful retreat.  _ I have to be strong. I can't let him see any weakness or he'll use it against me. Or Jin! _ She clenched her teeth together and stuck out her chin in what she hoped was a gesture of defiance.

Hwoarang remained silent for a few moments longer, regarding her thoughtfully. The silence between them stretched uncomfortably. Finally, when he spoke, it surprised her. "Well, he's got a match coming up against Marduk," he told Xiaoyu, pointing at the roster. "Maybe you'll spot him there." He shrugged and sauntered away from the board indifferently, leaving Xiaoyu staring at his back in confusion.

_ Was he just… nice to me? _ she wondered to herself. Her thought was checked as Hwoarang leaned back and called to her over his shoulder.

"And stop staring at my ass!"

"Jerk!" she bit out, taking back any good thoughts she might have had about Hwoarang and filing them in her mental drawer of 'biggest mistakes ever.' Thinking over what he said, she came to another realization that made the nervous rolling in her stomach ease somewhat.  _ That look, _ she thought to herself with surprise.  _ His eyes don't have that look in them, no matter how much trash he talks about Jin. _ It gave her a small measure of comfort to realize there were others like herself participating in the tournament. Not every contestant considered it a battle of life and death, even if it was only Hwoarang and his overbearing pride. With a small smile, she waved a false salute at Hwoarang's oblivious back, something she considered a fitting thanks for his unknowing gift.

Turning back to the board, she continued her search for Jin's name. Her eyes widened as she found it. "Hey, it's the first battle of today!" she noted, excitement kindling in her stomach. " _ Jin Kazama versus Craig Marduk, Vision Club, 11:00 _ " she read out loud. Glancing down at her watch, she let out a shrill cry of panic. "Oh no! It's already 9:00! I've only got two hours to find the perfect outfit!"

The guards at the foot of the elevator looked at each other knowingly and dived out of the way as the dark-haired blur of pink barrelled back into the elevator and repeatedly stabbed the button inside, chattering to herself feverishly about her clothing.

**-x – x – x -**

Xiaoyu descended down the dark, damp staircase carefully, letting the sound of rough cheering and the dull pulse of the music guide her feet when her eyes failed her. "Club Vision," she muttered to herself sarcastically. "What a stupid name, I can't see anything down here. How far underground is this place, anyway?" Finally, the sickly yellow glow of light from below alerted her to the end of the narrow passage. Her relief was quickly replaced with disgust as she stumbled out into the cavernous interior of the underground rave-turned-fighting-arena. A large, dirty white van swung from the edge of the ceiling, its lights still burning brightly enough to provide the main lighting of the entire room. Throngs of street-toughened clubbers catcalled, cheered and threw small objects into the makeshift cage that had been erected around the center of the dance floor.

Squinting and wrinkling her nose, Xiaoyu was glad she had decided against wearing her flashy pink silk dress in the squalid atmosphere of the club. She pulled the zipper of her yellow vest up over her tank top and dodged away from the jeers and gropes of some of the male onlookers. Making a quick decision, she tore her hair out of their trademark double ponytails in favour of a more conservative single one. "Anything to avoid more attention in this crowd," she mumbled to herself. Sneaking a quick glance at her watch, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I made it with time to spare," she cheered to herself. Xiaoyu's congratulations were short lived as she looked at the throng of people blocking her sight to the arena. She tried jumping up and down to catch a better glimpse of the fight floor, but to no avail. The mass of moving flesh surrounding the cage gathered and roared in excitement as the contestants were announced over the loudspeakers.

"Hey! Oww! Move over!" Xiaoyu yelled as she tried fruitlessly to elbow her way through the spectators. After being pushed back roughly for the fourth time, she gave a snort of annoyance and moved away from the crowd. Scanning the side of the wall, she spotted a low hanging beam that had fallen against the cage's iron framework. She glanced around surreptitiously, and then with a grin, charged forward. A few wayward clubbers cursed and dived out of the way as she built up her speed and then sprung upwards, twisting her body through the air in tight form. Bending her knees at the last second, she landed with a loud bang on the low beam and wobbled slightly before regaining her balance. The swearing below alerted her to the fact that her manoeuvre had not gone unnoticed, but she smirked and slapped her butt at the onlookers below. "Not like you can reach me up here," she yelled at them. Her grin dropped into a pout as she realized she still didn't have a good view of the cage interior. The beam she was standing on was simply too far away from the center of the ring. The light fixture, however, was another story…

With a sneaky grin, Xiaoyu carefully stood and held her arms out for balance. Taking a deep breath, she skipped forward and flipped off of the beam, somersaulting onto the van and causing it to sway wildly. "Whoa!" she screamed, sliding off of the back and scrabbling in panic before she managed to catch onto a door handle and stop her fall. A few more curses and whistles followed her, but the match had already started, and almost everyone's focus was on the tournament participants, not the young girl hanging precariously from the vehicle on the wall. With a grunt, she swung her leg onto the wheel of the van and pulled herself up onto the back door, this time carefully planting one knee on the swaying automobile so she wouldn't slide off. Letting out a sigh of relief, she finally turned her attention to the match participants.

"Fight!" boomed the voice from the overhead speakers as a bell chimed. Straining her neck forward, she gasped as she saw the contestants. "Jiiiiin!" she called out, almost falling off of the van again in her eagerness. The hooded figure in the center of the ring was him, she was sure of it. Next to the massive wrestler Marduk, he looked tiny. That wasn't of great concern to Xiaoyu; she knew Jin was a superb fighter, just as the rest of his family had been. What caused her breath to catch in his throat was his stiff posture and heaving chest. "He's fighting it," she whispered to herself with realization.  _ But can he control it? _ she thought suddenly, looking around at the wildly cheering spectators.  _ All these people... _ Panic washed over her at the thought of the devil being released in such tight, crowded quarters. "Jin!" she cried again, filling her lungs and shouting as loud as she could. "I know you can do it, Jin! Just hang in there!" A few of the spectators looked up at Xiaoyu curiously; the real fighting had not even started yet, and her wild cheering seemed out of place. She ignored them, however, and held her breath as the Vale Tudo champion made the first move.

With a low bellow and a lunge, he charged at the hooded figure with lowered shoulders and dropped him to the ground heavily. Xiaoyu winced at the audible crunch the smaller figure's body made as he hit the floor. It confirmed her suspicions, though; the hood was knocked away from the figure's face, revealing Jin's smooth features. It also seemed to literally knock Jin out of his stupor, for he rolled to his feet and took up his fighting stance.

Xiaoyu's eyebrows drew together thoughtfully as she watched him fight. "Those aren't the moves the devil was using," she gasped out loud as Jin threw his body to the floor in a rolling kick that caught Marduk across the chest. She squinted again, studying his style. "That isn't even the form he trained at our dojo," she observed. It was the same chopping karate style he had employed at the fourth tournament. Only this time, she realized, it was different. In the fourth tournament, his moves had appeared stiff and jerky. Xiaoyu had often wondered why Jin suddenly decided to change to an uncomfortable new style when he was so skilled at using Mishima karate. Now, however, it all seemed to fall into place. His moves were smooth and focused, rolling from his well-toned body like water off of a polished rock, striking with the fury of an ocean wave. Marduk might have had the size, but compared to Jin's speed and technique, he didn't stand a chance.

It wasn't long before Jin's fluid assault brought the huge fighter to his knees, and the round was called. The huge man pounded his meaty fist into the ground in fury before rising slowly to his feet. "Jin!" she yelled again, realizing that the match would be over quickly. "I believe in you!" He didn't seem to hear her, launching immediately into his attack the moment the announcer declared the next round.

This time, the battle was clear, with Marduk hardly even having the chance to recover from a blow before Jin launched him into the air once more. In a matter of moments, it was over, and Jin towered over the prone form of the unconscious giant, breathing heavily. Shocked silence settled over the onlookers at the speed and efficiency with which Jin had dispatched the much larger man, before one observer broke into a loud cheer. And then, the room erupted into noise as the crowd went wild, celebrating their new champion.

Xiaoyu's relief quickly turned into panic as she realized that Jin still hadn't noticed her. She waved her arms wildly, trying to catch his eye as she shouted. "Jin! It's me, Xiaoyu! Please, just look at me!" Her voice was lost in the noise of the crowd, and Jin pulled his hood up around his face once more and continued his long strides towards the cage exit, approaching her position without hearing her. Sucking in her breath, Xiaoyu stood up on the back of the van completely and cupped both hands around her mouth. "JIIIIIIIIN!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

Her heart thundered in her ears as he stopped at the foot of the van and glanced upwards, his intense gaze landing directly on her. She froze, unable to think of what to say now that she actually had his attention. His face was as beautiful as she had remembered, and his eyes just as haunted. Her lips formed into a whisper as her gaze locked onto his own. "I'm sorry," she said inaudibly. Whether Jin understood her or not, she never knew. What she did know was that he lowered his head and pulled the hood forward even more, exiting the club without any further acknowledgement. Colour and sound slowly seeped back into Xiaoyu's world, and dimly, she noticed that her sudden movement had sent the van rocking wildly again.

"Wha-wha-whoaaa!" she shouted, windmilling her arms and screaming loudly as she lost her balance. This time, no friendly door handle offered to stop her fall; only the ground rushed up to meet her.  _ Oh god, I wish I was a cat! _ she thought in a panic, squeezing her eyes shut and waiting for the painful impact to occur. Her breath came out with a whoosh as she made contact with the floor. The surprisingly soft, warm and squishy floor. Which was groaning and moving. Cracking an eye open, she let out a squeak of surprise.

"Ow! Goddammit, get the hell off of me, Xiaoyu!" Hwoarang's angry red face greeted her, and she realized she was sitting squarely on his stomach. The tall redhead was sprawled on the floor, one arm trapped under her legs, the other supporting her back. He was also not very pleased, cursing as he struggled to rise to his feet under her weight.

_ He caught me! _ It couldn't have been a sweeter sight, even if it was redhead's scowling face in front of her and not Jin's finely chiselled chest. Anything was better than the bruises and possible tournament disqualification she might have received, had she broken a bone during her tumble. Her relief must have shone through on her face, because the Hwoarang's scowl darkened by several degrees as he watched her. He finally managed to stand up, throwing Xiaoyu off balance and sending her to the floor in an undignified heap. "What the hell was that? I almost had him, and then a girl comes falling out of the sky and lands on me," he swore, glaring at her. "Just my luck, it figures if was gonna start raining women, I'd get you instead of the Brazilian chick!"

Relief quickly changed to annoyance, and Xiaoyu stood and dusted herself off haughtily. "Well excuuuse me," she said sullenly. "Sorry if I'm not calendar pin-up material, but look on the bright side. This is probably the closest you'll  _ ever _ get to a girl." She smirked and flashed him a victory sign as his face flushed red. "Ohh! ' _ Pre-volcanic _ ,' wasn't it?" she teased. To her surprise, Hwoarang didn't rise to her baiting, instead shoving by angrily and knocking her off balance. "What?" she said, spinning around quickly and watching him stomp away. "Hey, come back here!" she cried, chasing after him. He only increased his pace, and Xiaoyu had to break into a fast jog to catch up with his long strides. "C'mon, wait up a second! I just wanted to apologize," she yelled, dancing around the annoyed Korean, who twisted his head this way and that, trying to avoid her pestering. Finally he stopped moving, glaring down at the tiny girl before him as if he could disintegrate her with his eyes alone. "Thanks for saving me," she mumbled quietly, feeling the weight of his eyes on the top of her head.

"What the hell were you doing up there anyway?" he asked curtly.

Xiaoyu hid her hands behind her back and swayed uncertainly, before remembering that Hwoarang didn't play into her cute card. With a sigh, she dropped the pose and shrugged. "I was just trying to get a better view of the match," she admitted. "I'm a little vertically challenged here, in case you didn't notice," she added at his incredulous look.

Hwoarang rolled his eyes upwards and pinched the bridge of his nose with one gloved hand, seeming to count backwards slowly. When he opened them again, his expression of rage had given way to his usual bored annoyance. "Fine. Next time you want to see a match up close, just ask."

Xiaoyu lifted an eyebrow at his statement. "Ask you? For help?" she said with an air of disbelief. "Why would you help me?"

Hwoarang smirked in reply. "So you can sit on my shoulders," he answered. "If you're gonna end up landing on top of me anyway, I might as well enjoy having your thighs around my head, eh?" He laughed and ducked as Xiaoyu let out a shrill scream and aimed a kick at his head.

"Pervert! I knew it!" she cried, stomping her foot on the ground. She stopped as he began to laugh, then froze with surprised as reached out and pulled at her hair. "Oww! Hey, what're you doing?"

"Oh, stop whining like a little baby," he said, tugging at the ponytail once more. "You landing on me hurt a helluva a lot more than this, so just suck it up." Seeing her vicious glare, he released the ponytail with a shrug. "Almost didn't recognize you without the rockets," he quipped.

"ROCKETS? You call them ROCKETS?" Xiaoyu yelled in indignation, grabbing at her mussed ponytail and rearranging it quickly.

"Relax," he said with a smile. "I like it this way. You look… older," he finished. Seeing the surprised look flit across Xiaoyu's face, he shrugged carelessly. "Whatever. So you fell on me. You can make it up later, I'll think of something." He moved past her, making his way towards the long dark passage leading to the world above. "Just be a little more careful, alright? I'll be pissed if I don't get to kick your butt in the tournament this time just because your clumsy ass fell off a cliff somewhere."

Xiaoyu nodded, humming tonelessly in agreement. "No more climbing without ropes," she promised herself, looking back towards the swinging van, which seemed higher than ever. Then her hand moved to her hair, and a flush graced her cheeks. "Older?" she murmured, glancing back at the stairs, where Hwoarang had already disappeared. Her thoughtful expression slowly dropped into a scowl, and she quickly pulled at the ponytail, freeing her hair from its confines. "Rockets for the rest of the tournament, then," she ground out, rearranging her hair into its old, familiar style.

It was only when Xiaoyu was already approaching the Mishima Corporation Headquarters that she realized what she had named her old hairstyle.


	6. 05: Shooting Star

The late morning sun cast strong shadows over the seemingly barren rooftop. Xiaoyu knew better than to assume she was alone, however. Every tournament bout was always filmed and broadcast to eager spectators all over the world, naturally only after careful editing. Besides being the ultimate challenge to vie for control of the powerful company, the Mishima Corporation had managed to turn the more recent Iron Fist tournaments into one of the most famous sport spectacles in the world. Whenever a particularly spectacular tournament bout occurred, the eyes of the world were sure to be watching.

"I'm glad I wore my pink dress today," Xiaoyu said nervously, unnecessarily straightening the folds of her skirt. Lower ranking matches were not very popular with the public, and Xiaoyu had never actually made it to the higher ranks in the previous two tournaments. It had spared her the painful glare of publicity that other figures such as Kazuya, Heihachi and Jin had endured. Still, it never hurt to be careful, and Xiaoyu had painstakingly prepared for the battle, wanting to look her best for what she was sure would be her first big triumph.

Unfortunately, her competition, the battle-hardened kick-boxer Bruce Irvine, was also fully confident about his victory and judging from the casual state of his dress, also quite sure that the battle would be anything but spectacular. Xiaoyu sucked in a hiss of annoyance as she regarded her tall opponent.

"You could've at least dressed up, you know!" she scolded him, hands on her hips. The tall black man eyed her bright pink silk dress disgustedly and gave her an uninterested shrug.

"There's no one here to impress," he replied, looking pointedly at Xiaoyu. As if on cue, the wind blew, and Xiaoyu half-expected tumbleweed to pop out of nowhere and go rolling across the empty rooftop. Drawing her brows together, she stamped her foot on the tiling.

"Just look at you! You're wearing your training sweats to your first match! Don't you know that's unlucky?" she said primly. "Where's your pride? Your self-esteem? Your fashion sense?"

Bruce rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. "Where the hell is the fight bell?"

After glaring at him for a few more moments to no avail, Xiaoyu gave up and decided to ignore him. She strolled around the perimeter of the roof, searching for the hidden cameras she was sure were mounted somewhere. Self-consciously, she checked her hair and straightened her skirt once more. A niggling doubt wedged its way into her mind that perhaps she should be taking her first battle much more seriously, but she shrugged it off. "Hey, if I fought off a devil, I can take care of a kick boxer, no problem," she reasoned to herself. A low chime brought her wandering attention back to the battle at hand, and a loudspeaker crackled over the rooftop.

"Battle number zero-six: Xiaoyu Ling versus Bruce Irvine," came the announcement. Xiaoyu let out a loud wail of indignation as she heard their names.

"You're supposed to say Ling Xiaoyu!" she yelled, pointing at the speaker angrily.

"Doesn't really matter," Bruce told her, leaning his head to one side with an audible pop. Sighing with relief, he swung his shoulders around and bounced on his feet, preparing for the fight. "Only name you're gonna need is paste after this match," he told her mirthlessly.

Xiaoyu widened her eyes and shook her head vigorously, redirecting her accusing finger towards the kick boxer across from her. "Oooooooooh, looks like I'm in for a tough battle!" she said sarcastically, dancing around him in mock fear.

The speaker crackled to life once more, the announcer's voice sounding decidedly less amused than before. "Enough theatrics. Fighters, take your positions."

"Now this I know," Bruce said, smiling as he raised both of his arms and one knee, circling around Xiaoyu cautiously.

She decided not to answer him, instead opting to shift her weight to her back foot and drop into her own fighting stance. Butterflies collected in her stomach as they both waited for the bell to sound, signalling the start of the battle. It was these seconds Xiaoyu hated the most, the anticipation of the fight often being much worse than the actual battle itself. Though the wait was in reality only a few short seconds, it always felt like a lifetime to her.

The bell sounded, ringing clear and true over the empty rooftop, and suddenly, things were in motion. Xiaoyu drew the first blood, smiling with satisfaction as she tested the waters with her phoenix twin kick, snapping Bruce's head back and forth. She spun away quickly and took a defensive position as she heard the boxer curse, well aware of the damage his powerfully muscled legs might be able to inflict.

Recovering, Bruce returned her smile without any humour. "Not bad, little girl. Now lemmie show you how you really kick," he added, charging forward. Xiaoyu gave a squeak of surprise as he sent one booted foot flying towards her head, ducking under the attack. He followed with a few quick punches that she easily dodged, spinning to her right, and then deflecting another blow with her left arm as she sidestepped.

_ Well, he's definitely not faster than me, _ she thought critically as they backed away from each other. For his part, the kick boxer looked surprised that he hadn't managed to land a hit.

"You're not too bad," he said appreciatively, bouncing in place as he lowered his head and raised his arms once more.

"Neither are you," Xiaoyu said with a smile, raising her arms into guard position. "You don't fight with any flair, though," she complained. "How are we going to get noticed if you keep on doing boring stuff?"

Bruce looked at her with a mixture of indignation and annoyance. "I don't care about looks, I care about winning," he told her. "Now are you gonna take this fight seriously or not?"

"Well," Xiaoyu told him, faking a yawn, "If you insist. Don't say I didn't try to give you your fifteen seconds of fame, though!" she warned him. Immediately, she dropped into her phoenix crouch and aimed a low hit at the boxer's shins with her palm. It was more of an annoying gnat bite than a strike, but all Xiaoyu wanted was to buy enough time to throw him off balance for her next hit. Already, she was rising into a flashy spin kick, catching Bruce across the jaw as she extended her arms gracefully. Landing neatly, she smiled at her opponent before somersaulting backwards and out of the way of his kick as he rose to his feet. "See what I mean? Make a little noise when you fight, wave your arms around more. The audience loves that stuff!" Xiaoyu scolded him.

Grimacing, Bruce stood and rubbed his sore jaw. "Just… shut… up!" he growled, losing his temper and rushing at Xiaoyu. It was the moment she had been waiting for, and with a grin, she raced to meet him. The impromptu game of chicken caused confusion to flash in the boxer's eyes, and she used his momentary hesitation to scale his long legs as though he was a climbing wall and leap onto his shoulders. Before he could even turn his head and yell at her, she was already jumping off, landing two light, teasing kicks to the back of his head. It was more of an insult than a real manoeuvre, but it was very showy, and it sent the boxer to his knees for the second time. A groan escaped him as the chime sounded.

"Ling Xiaoyu wins!" boomed the announcer's voice.

Xiaoyu jumped up and down and flashed a victory sign at the speaker, yelling a hearty "You got it right! Thank you!" to the announcer. Turning around, she beamed at the boxer, who was rubbing his neck, trying to regain his equilibrium. "Hey, that was almost too easy. Are you sure you're ready for this competition?"

Bruce rolled his shoulders and squared off against Xiaoyu once more, raising his arms. "I wasn't expecting that," he said sourly. "But I'm ready now."

The bell struck, and Xiaoyu launched herself into another attack. This time she swung low, sweeping the floor with her extended leg twice in rapid succession. As she had hoped, it knocked the boxer off balance once more, and she charged forward eagerly, hoping to catch him in her wave crest strike. To her shock, however, Bruce recovered from the stumble and leaned backwards. She gave a small cry of dismay, unable to stop her upwards momentum as her hands passed cleanly over the tall man's face. It left her abdomen wide open for his strike, as well as giving her an excellent view of his triumphant smile.

And what a strike it was! Xiaoyu gasped for air as his fist landed squarely into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. "No style?" Bruce yelled as his right fist continued where the left had left off. Her feet were actually lifted off of the ground from the force of his blow, dangling helplessly over the tiled concrete of the rooftop. Stars crossed her vision, and just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, the boxer's knee decided to join the party on her stomach, slamming her into the ground. It hurt so much she couldn't even summon the energy to yell in pain.

Backing off, Bruce bounced up and down, smiling with satisfaction. "You don't need style to win, kid."

Xiaoyu blinked, surprise and frustration surfacing as the pain began to fade. But, she realized as she rolled to her feet, the chime had not sounded. Hope blossomed as she fell into her fighting stance.  _ The round isn't over yet! There's still a chance! _ She took a quick swipe at her mouth, swallowing loudly before answering him. "I underestimated you too," she admitted reluctantly, "but my Grandpa always told me, strength isn't power."

"I can take your Grandpa to school too," he answered as he rushed her with another high kick. This time Xiaoyu ducked quickly, not wanting to take any chances.

_ One more hit and this round is his, _ she thought rapidly.  _ I can't let him land anything or I'm finished! _ So she waited, cautiously dodging his attacks, searching for an opening. It finally appeared as Bruce's flurry of kicks and punches came to a halt. As he slowed down, Xiaoyu bent her knees and sidled around the tall man, pointing her fingers directly between his eyes. "You're under my spell," she sang, swaying slightly and carefully planting her feet one after the other.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bruce said, his head unknowingly turning as she circled around him.

_ Now! _ She dropped and twisted over her knees, forming her best impression of a human pretzel, a memory of a lesson long ago washing over her.

" _ You can focus your chi in your tummy," Jinrei's voice echoed in her head. _

" _ That's silly! If you hit people with your hands and your feet, shouldn't you focus all your energy into them instead?" Xiaoyu had asked. "How can you hit someone with your tummy if you don't have a pot belly?" _

_ Jinrei had only laughed at the young girl's question. "Watch, my child," he said, winking at her secretively. And then, with a deep breath, he had dropped with a speed she wouldn't have believed possible for a man of his age. It looked like he was curling in on himself, folding his body up like a piece of origami. Jinrei opened his mouth and let his breath rush out in a rising 'haaah!' The movement was slow and controlled, but as his hands curled out from his stomach, they pitched forward into the wooden training dummy, carried by a momentum that couldn't have come from the muscles in his arms alone. _

_ The young Xiaoyu winced, forced to turn her head away as a sharp crack echoed through the courtyard. She almost swore that she saw a burst of light where the old man struck. When she finally managed to blink and look back, her grandfather had already straightened up, his arms crossed and laughter in his eyes. The training dummy lay at his feet, its thick wooden torso cleanly cloven in half from the blow. _

Xiaoyu opened her mouth, letting her breath slowly rush out with a soft hiss as she uncurled her body from its twisted posture. Understanding dawned across the boxer's face too late; she was already rising as he tried to back out of reach. Her arms shot out, right and left extending outward like an open fan, striking her opponent across the head in rapid succession. The hit fell true and with all of the power she could muster in her tiny body. It was a surprising amount of force, and it sent the boxer reeling before he collapsed on the floor. Not giving him the chance to recover, Xiaoyu settled for pummelling him with a couple of fast, low kicks in rapid succession. It was inelegant, perhaps slightly unfair and definitely not a technique that would land their battle a position on prime television.  _ But, _ she thought sourly,  _ he said it himself, you didn't need style to win. _ Soon the chime sounded, and the second bout was called.

"Ling Xiaoyu wins!" With a crackle and an ear-splitting whine, the speakers cut out, and the fight was over. Somewhere, the results were being tallied, and Xiaoyu's name was being added to the next tier of fighters. She smiled slightly, wiping the sweat from her forehead, and regarded her felled opponent.

"Whew! That wasn't easy, you know," she told him as he stumbled slowly to his feet. "I thought you had me there for a second!"

"Damn. Damn, damn, damn!" the boxer said, shaking his head from side to side. For a moment, Xiaoyu feared he was a sore loser, but when he finally did glance up, relief washed through his features, as well as realization.  _ He's one of them too! _ she thought excitedly, looking into his dark eyes.  _ He's a normal person! _ As if to confirm her suspicion, he gave her an awkward smile. "I gotta find out where you learned to hit like that," he admitted finally. "Never gonna live it down at the gym when they hear I was beaten by a girl."

"Next time wear pink and fight flashy," Xiaoyu giggled. "That's my secret!"

Bruce only shook his head with a rueful snort. "Better watch out next time. I'll be back, and I'll get you then," he told her. And then, after a short pause, he offered her his hand, smiling as she uncertainly accepted his congratulatory handshake. "Good luck in the tournament, kid. I hope you do better than me," he told her.

**\- x – x – x -**

Xiaoyu skipped into the lobby of the Mishima Corporation Headquarters, tired but still buoyed by excitement of her win. She stopped by the contestants' board and smiled as she saw her name had moved up on the list. The next battle location and opponent were still blanks, but it filled her with pride to see that her position in the next tier was already secure.

_ There's still the chance I'll have to fight Jin next. _ Xiaoyu frowned and shook her head furiously. "No time for bad thoughts, I made it to the next round." She gave a little cheer and victory jump, and then immediately winced, her hand dropping to her stomach. "Uhh, that's gonna be black and blue tomorrow," she moaned, limping her way towards the private elevators. All she wanted to do at that particular moment was crawl into a hot bath and lay there for a few hours, letting the muscles in her stomach unknot. She let out a small groan as she met the first obstacle to her much-deserved relaxation time. A familiar tall figure was arguing with the guards standing by the elevator doors.

"Hey, it's not like anyone's even using this stupid thing," Hwoarang said with boredom, gesturing at the closed doors before him. "So what if I wanna hang around here? What're you gonna do about it?" The last statement was definitely a threat, as Hwoarang leaned in and towered over the guard, unphased by the submachine gun the smaller man was holding.

"Give it up, Hwoarang, they don't know how to talk, just shoot," Xiaoyu said, glaring up at the redhead as he swung around.

"Oh good, you're here. Maybe you can call your dogs off," he said, thumbing over his shoulder at the guard.

"They're Kazuya's dogs," Xiaoyu answered. "Now get out of the way, I want to go home," she groaned, her hand curling over her stomach once more. To her surprise, Hwoarang shook his head and crossed his arms, planting himself firmly in front of the elevator doors. Xiaoyu spared a moment to glare angrily at the guards, who were dutifully responding to her veiled insult by letting the obnoxious Korean have his own way. "I swear," she muttered under her breath, "I don't know why the Mishimas even pay you guys."

"Hey," Hwoarang said, his face drawing into a scowl. "Don't you want to know why I'm here?"

"No," Xiaoyu said flatly. "I bet you're going to tell me anyway, so get on with it," she added.

"What's the matter, Sailor Sunshine got a bellyache?" he asked her smugly.

Xiaoyu muttered a few low curses to herself and then, gathering her patience, grinned at Hwoarang with all the sugar she could muster. "Oh, nothing a little happiness and friendship couldn't cure!" she chirped. "I was actually thinking of some karaoke with my friend Miharu! Wanna join us?"  _ I swear, I'm going to kick him to the moon if he takes me up on that offer,  _ she thought as smiled brightly. She gave herself a congratulatory mental pat on the back as she won her gamble. Seeing Hwoarang recoil in horror at the offer made it worth the pain and effort.

"Not exactly," he said, stepping carefully away from the smiling girl. "You're acting all weird. You're not planning to hit me or anything, are you?" he said suspiciously.

"Maybe," Xiaoyu answered. "Move or talk,  _ now _ , and you can delay the inevitable."

Chuckling, Hwoarang nodded his assent. "Now that's the Xiaoyu I recognize," he said with a smirk. "I thought of a way you can repay me," he added.

Xiaoyu felt her temper rise a notch.  _ Must… not… hit. _ "Repay you? I didn't know I owed you!" she said, her voice growing shrill.

"Oh, so you forgot about yesterday already," Hwoarang said. "Funny, my back hasn't yet. In my book, that means you owe me."

Xiaoyu flushed, wishing for the thousandth time that she hadn't fallen off of the van in the club. "Alright, just tell me what you want already!" she said miserably. She felt a sinking sensation in her stomach as Hwoarang's smug grin widened exponentially.

"The board says you won," he replied, leaning back against the elevator doors. "That means another battle tomorrow. And more exposure," he added, leaning towards Xiaoyu with an evil grin. "You're not going in wearing that," he said, waving lazily at Xiaoyu's outfit.

Xiaoyu looked down at herself, and then looked up at Hwoarang. "Hey, what's wrong with my dress?" she asked indignantly.

"Well, for one, it's pink," he began. "The point is, you're gonna wear what I tell you to wear to your next fight." He laughed as Xiaoyu's face promptly turned red and her mouth opened. "You're not getting out of this one," he grinned. "I almost had Jin yesterday. You  _ owe _ me."

Xiaoyu opened and closed her mouth soundlessly for a few moments, before finally settling on a resigned glare. "Fine. Just this once, because you did catch me. But it has to be something I can fight in!" Seeing Hwoarang open his mouth, she quickly amended her statement. "And it has to be decent!" she yelled.

"Relax, I already had something in mind," he told her. "You're gonna wear your uniform to the next fight."

Xiaoyu blinked owlishly, surprised. "Uniform?" she replied in a confused echo. "What uniform? I don't have a uniform!"

Hwoarang shook his head. "Yeah, you do," he said, grinning lazily.

"No," she said sharply, "I don't! You can wear whatever you want in college! I haven't had a uniform since high school…" Realization dawned as Hwoarang's smirk widened. "WHAT? NO WAY!" she screeched.

"You're always trying to convince people you're a cute little girl. Hey, I'm just helpin' you out," he grinned.

"I've had a  _ growth spurt _ since then!" Xiaoyu sputtered. It wasn't a very convincing statement to make, as Hwoarang still stood head and shoulders over her petite form. She had to try, though. "Do you know how short the skirt is going to be?" she added, trying to keep her head from exploding. Hwoarang's eager nod dropped her face into a scowl. The casual snickers from the guards, still standing at attention to their sides, weren't helping her at all either. Her stomach reminded her once more of the tender affection it had received in the match earlier, and crossly, she gave Hwoarang an exasperated nod. "Fine, fine, I'll do it, just get out of my way!"

Shrugging, Hwoarang finally stood away from the elevator doors, pressing the button for her. "See you tomorrow, then," he smiled, and sauntered away.

"See me? Wait a second, you didn't say you were going to show up at the match!" she yelled, red crossing her cheeks once more. He didn't bother to reply, and Xiaoyu groaned in frustration as the elevator tinkled, the doors sliding open smoothly behind her. "What have I gotten myself into?" she mumbled, making a hasty retreat.


	7. 06: Thunder Strike

"There's almost nothing a good soak can't cure," Xiaoyu sighed blissfully as she towelled her hair dry. Wrapping a fuzzy robe around herself, she exited the steamy bathroom and flopped onto her over-sized bed. "But what to do with the rest of today?" she wondered, looking at the ceiling. She leaned over, lazily reaching for the remote on her nightstand and flipped on her TV. The calm voice of another faceless sports commentator drifted over the room. Xiaoyu sprung up as the event was announced, her back cracking with the speed of the motion.

"Hey! That's me!" Flushing with excitement, she kneeled on the edge of the bed and turned up the volume. "They're airing my match! They're actually airing my match! Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!" she screamed excitedly.

"And here we have the profile of the next contestant, Xiaoyu Ling." Xiaoyu slapped her forehead and gave up. "She might not be the youngest participant in the tournament anymore, but she can still act the part," continued the biographer smoothly. "Adopted by Heihachi Mishima under uncertain circumstances when she was only sixteen years old, Ling's fighting career began in the Third Iron Fist Tournament two years ago…"

Xiaoyu grinned as an old picture of her, Panda and Miharu flashed across the screen. The grin faded as she realized she had still been in high school, and was wearing her plaid-chequered uniform skirt and sweater. "Hwoarang, I'm going to kill you," she muttered. Then her eyes widened. "Oh no… Miharu!" Putting the television on mute, she eyed her cell phone and weighed her options. "Better get it over with," she mumbled, reaching for the cell and quickly punching in a number.

"Hello?" crackled a voice over the line.

"Hey Miharu. Guess who!" Xiaoyu said cheerfully.

"Xiao?" replied Miharu after a pause. "Xiaoyu?  _ Where have you been? _ It's been, like, a week since that limo took you! I've been texting you forever! Did that Kazuya guy beat you up? You could call child services on him you know!"

Almost reflexively, Xiaoyu yelled into the phone "I am not a child!"  _ Oops _ . "Uh, I mean, I've been a little busy. No, he didn't beat me up, but it did have something to do with that meeting…"

"Xiaoyu, what's going on?" Miharu's voice held a note of concern, and Xiaoyu winced as she considered breaking the news.

"Well… umm, why don't you turn on your TV?" she said nervously.

"It's already on.  _ Nights of the Young and Eager _ is showing right now. That's another thing, did you know that Bobby got trapped in a cabin with Shaina and now they're like, totally sleeping together? They were trying to kill each other just last episode, too! Talk about a turnaround!"

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes. "Miharu, I  _ still _ don't watch soap operas," she groaned. "There's no need to when you're living through a live action one."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Xiaoyu swallowed. "Switch to the sports channel," she tried. There was a short pause, and then she held the phone away from her ear as a shrill scream erupted.

"OH MY GOD! Xiaoyu, you're on TV!" Silence followed as the relatively short match was aired. Her own television was still muted, but she could dimly hear the sound of the fast-paced theme music and cheering voices over the phone as the program cut away to a "King of the Iron Fist Tournament" menu. Then the sound disappeared, and there was only silence.

"Hello? Miharu?" Xiaoyu said, tapping the phone. "Are you still there?"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" screamed Miharu over the line. Xiaoyu held the phone away from her ear and winced. " _ This _ is why you've been missing for a week? You couldn't even tell me there was another Tournament going on, let alone that you were competing in it? Xiaoyu, what were you thinking?"

_ I was thinking I wanted to help Jin. I was thinking you wouldn't get it. _ "I guess I wasn't thinking that much," Xiaoyu answered out loud, waiting for the recrimination she knew she had earned.

"That would be the understatement of the year! I think it's really cool that you can fight and all, but don't you think it was time you started getting a little more serious?" Miharu said disapprovingly. "Look at the size of those guys you're fighting against! You're going to get yourself seriously hurt one of these days!"

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes. "Mi, it's not just about the fighting, okay? I have a reason to be in the tournament this time."

"Oh really? Like the amusement park again?" came the dry response.

"Hey, that would have been a good idea," Xiaoyu huffed.

"Sure, Xiao. So what's your reason this time?"

Xiaoyu shut her eyes. "You wouldn't understand," she said softly. Another silence followed.

"Oh, I understand," Miharu's voice came out, sounding faintly hurt. "You just don't want to tell me." She cut off Xiaoyu's protest, continuing swiftly. "I do understand this, Xiaoyu. It's your first year of college, and you're already cutting classes just like you did in high school. All you ever want to do is shop, train at your stupid dojo, or talk about Jin. You know how you always get mad when people call you a little kid? If you ask me, you deserve it! Money doesn't grow on trees, and without your 'Grandpa Heihachi' around to set you up, you're not going to make it! Not unless you start getting serious!"

Xiaoyu recoiled at Miharu's angry voice. Pulling the phone back to her ear, her temper flared. "What are you, my mother?" she yelled. "Look, Miharu, I called because I thought you might want to know what I've been up to. Obviously that was a big mistake! Sorry for bothering you during your precious soap opera!" With that, she cut the connection and threw her phone across the room. It hit the wall with a loud clack and fell to the floor in many little pieces of bright pink and yellow plastic. She dove back onto her bed and buried her face into a fluffy pillow, willing away her angry tears.

_ First Jin, then Heihachi and Panda, and now Miharu! _ "It's not fair!" she cried out. She suddenly wished her grandfather was there. Jinrei was old, irritable and he enjoyed arguing with his favourite granddaughter. Beyond the surface, though, she knew Jinrei loved her deeply. She missed watching his old, wrinkled hands as they moved through the forms of Tai Chi, hearing his soothing voice gently prodding her for her next lesson, seeing his kind eyes sparkle with pride as he watched her grow. Thinking about her grandfather helped calm the roiling emotions in her breast, and eventually, Xiaoyu managed to sit up.

"Oh no," she breathed as she spotted the mangled remains of her cell phone. "I guess I shouldn't have done that." It soured her already bad mood, and wiping at her face, she slid off of the bed and dressed herself slowly in her old sweatpants and an oversized shirt.

Leaving the confines of her room, Xiaoyu made her way down the corridor and into the communal kitchen. After a few moments of cursing and searching, she found what she was looking for, brandishing the tea kettle in triumph. She filled it with water and placed it on the stove, then settled herself at the countertop and waited for the water to boil.

"What am I doing?" she mumbled to her reflection in the polished chrome of the pot. The other, slightly warped Xiaoyu didn't have an answer ready. "I don't even like green tea," she sighed. But, she realized sadly, she had been unfair to Miharu, and she felt like punishing herself. Besides, the steaming, slightly bitter liquid reminded her of her grandfather, and Xiaoyu thought the familiar scent and taste might bring her a little bit of comfort. She closed her eyes, leaned her head on the countertop and drifted off, trying to lose herself in her faded memories of China.

A siren brought her head up abruptly, and Xiaoyu squawked in dismay. "I burned the water!" she cried, grabbing the kettle off of the stove and turning off the heat in a panic. The siren didn't stop, however, and Xiaoyu kicked herself as she realized it was much too loud to be the whistling of the teakettle. Quickly forgetting about her break, she rushed out of the kitchen and into the hall, almost colliding with a few guards who were storming down the corridor. She grabbed one of them as he raced by, holding him back.

"What's going on?" she shouted, trying to be heard above the claxon.

"There's an intruder in the building," the guard told her curtly. "Return to your room and lock your door." He pulled away brusquely and rushed after his companions. Xiaoyu stared after his retreating form, her eyes wide.

"An intruder?" she wondered. Then she clenched her fists, her anger mounting. The Mishima Corporate Headquarters might not have had the comforts of her home in China, but it  _ was _ still her home. "There's no way I'm staying put!" she shouted, turning in the opposite direction and sprinting down the hallway. Xiaoyu wasn't entirely familiar with the layout of the penthouse suites in the large building, but she did know that everything could be monitored from the upper rooms. If she knew Kazuya to be anything, it was a control freak. "I just have to find the observation room, and then I can find the intruder," she reasoned, turning down another twisting hallway and glancing at the doors. Finding the stairwell she was looking for, she flung open the door and raced upwards. Usually a guard would be posted to prevent anyone, herself included, from invading the Mishima's private quarters on the floor above, but with the chaos of the break-in, the hallway was empty. "This is too easy," Xiaoyu muttered to herself as she opened the stairwell door and stepped into the hallway. "Now which way," she wondered, glancing down the long corridor to her right. It didn't look very promising, so she turned to her left, and suddenly saw stars.

"Oof!" she cried, tumbling to the floor. She carried the momentum, continuing her roll until she was standing on her feet again and looked up at the object she had collided with.

The offender had also rolled to her feet from the collision, and was currently crouched into a defensive stance across from her. Xiaoyu's eyes widened as she recognized the pretty face she was staring at. "Hey… aren't you one of the competitors?" she asked. "What are you doing up here?"

The girl's eyes narrowed and her mouth drew into a small frown. "Get out of my way," she warned Xiaoyu, her hands closing into fists.

"Wow! You're Julia Chang!" Xiaoyu said excitedly, pointing. "I'm a big fan of yours," she gushed, her eyes glowing with appreciation. "I've seen you at the last few tournaments, you're amazing! Those super hits, it's incredible how you manage to send people flying like that!" she added, jumping up and waving her fist in the air. "Can I have your autograph?"

Julia, for her part, had backed away uncertainly, her fists still raised and her eyes darting to the side every few minutes. "Are you serious?" she said incredulously, sparing only a quick glance at Xiaoyu.

For her part, the light bulb finally exploded over Xiaoyu's head, and her mouth fell open into a disappointed "oh." "You're the intruder," she said finally. "But… why?"

Julia's eyes narrowed, and she raised her fists. "You wouldn't understand," she said curtly, preparing to attack.

Xiaoyu cringed, the familiar words echoing in her own ears.  _ But… I like her, _ she thought to herself as her instincts warred.  _ I don't want to have to fight an idol! _ Julia lunged forward, attempting to grab one of Xiaoyu's arms. She recognized the older girl's move as one of her famous wrestling locks, and danced out of the way. "Wait!" she cried out as she dodged. "I don't want to fight you!"

Julia stopped attacking, glancing down the hallway once more, before turning her attention back to Xiaoyu. "I don't have time for this," she grit out. "Either fight or get out of the way!"

Xiaoyu shook her head wildly. "There are guards swarming all over the floors below. You'll never make it out of here like that," she said, making her decision. "Come on, follow me!" She flung open the stairwell door and started down the steps.

Julia hesitated for a moment, her fists still raised, and then with quick glance, followed Xiaoyu down the stairs. "Why are you helping me?" she called out behind Xiaoyu's back as they reached the lower level.

Feeling a crazy sense of deja-vu, Xiaoyu didn't bother to turn around, instead gesturing for Julia to wait as she cautiously peeked out of the door and into the hallway. "Umm… duty!" she said quickly. "Hey, the coast is clear, hurry!"

The two girls sprinted down the hall, Xiaoyu leading the way. Julia had no choice but to follow, obviously lost between all the twists and turns in the complicated corridors.

"Where are we going?" she hissed uncertainly.

"Right here," Xiaoyu said, kicking the door open and pulling Julia in roughly before slamming it behind her. She fell against the doorframe, panting, and wiped some sweat from her forehead. "Phew, I don't think I've run that fast since my gym class in high school," she moaned. Noticing her companion's confused expression, she smiled as she turned the lock in the door. "This is my room!"

Julia was already slowly wandering through the carpeted room, dominated by the massive pink bed in the center and giant stuffed animals scattered all around the floor. After a few moments, the tall girl turned and stared at Xiaoyu. "You live here?" she said incredulously.

"Uh-huh!" Xiaoyu said, nodding her head happily. "What's wrong?" she asked as she saw Julia's face drop into a scowl.

"You're one of them, then?" she said, her hands rising into fists again.

"Hey, wait a second, I just saved you!" Xiaoyu answered, putting her hands on her hips. "And no, I'm not a Mishima, my name is Ling Xiaoyu! I just live here," she answered. She frowned as the older girl relaxed once more. "What's your problem with the Mishima family anyway?" she asked curiously. "And why'd you break in?"

"May I?" Julia asked politely, gesturing at the bed. Xiaoyu nodded eagerly, and she sat on the edge with a sigh of relief, planting her elbows on her knees and clasping her palms together. She exhaled as she rested her forehead against her hands, mumbling "Where to start?" Finally, she looked up at Xiaoyu shrewdly.

"Since you helped me, I'll tell you, but I want to know what your relationship with the Mishima Corporation is first," Julia said.

"Well, that's easy," Xiaoyu answered. "If you'd been watching the sports channel earlier instead of breaking in, you'd know!" Seeing irritation flit across Julia's features, she continued quickly. "I come from China. I stowed away on Heihachi Mishima's ship when I was sixteen while I was vacationing in Hong Kong. He let me stay and sorta adopted me, and I've been taking part in the Tournaments ever since," she explained quickly. "Heihachi adopted me in spirit, but not in name. When he…" She swallowed, pausing. "When Kazuya took over, he let me stay, but I'm definitely not part of the family right now," she said quickly.

Sympathy flashed briefly across Julia's face. "I'm sorry for your loss. I can't understand why someone like you would care about a bastard like Heihachi Mishima, though," she added bitterly. Seeing Xiaoyu's shocked expression, she smiled slightly. "He kidnapped my mother once, just to get his hands on my tribe's treasure."

Xiaoyu's face fell as she heard the news. Yoshimitsu had told her of Heihachi's experiment with the creature known as Ogre in the third tournament, but she had been hoping that it wasn't true. "I know he wasn't a nice person," Xiaoyu whispered softly. "I… I still miss him, though. He isn't all bad, when you get to know him."

"Do you really know him?" Julia said sharply. She sucked in her breath as Xiaoyu recoiled. "I'm sorry. You're being kind enough to shelter me, and I'm only insulting you. Please forgive me," she said humbly, bowing her head. "I should answer your own questions, too. I've been working on some research data for the G Corporation for the past few years," she explained. "We aren't exactly on 'friendly' terms with the Mishima Corporation," Julia admitted. "But what they did is unforgivable!" she added with a note of anger. "There was a break-in, and all of my data was stolen. Two years of work!" she added, clenching her fist. "I need that data back. It's a radical process, completely untested," Julia explained passionately. "My data would allow forests to take root where too much erosion normally occurs due to man-made conditions. You see, I need that data to save my homeland."

"Wow," Xiaoyu said, her eyes wide. "So you're smart, too! How old are you, anyway?"

Julia smiled. "Well, I'm only twenty years old, I know it's a little young to be taken seriously as a researcher. But I've got a good motivation and I've managed to produce results," she said proudly. Then her face fell. "At least, I did manage to produce results before. Ever since I lost that data, all I've managed to create are dead ends," she added. "I think G Corps' patience with me is running out. I  _ need _ to find that data, no matter what."

Xiaoyu nodded her head thoughtfully, still surprised at her idol's youthful age.  _ Only two years older than me, and she's already changing the world, _ she thought to herself in awe.  _ Maybe Miharu's right… I should take things a little more seriously. _ The thought of Jin, twisted by his demonic transformation sprung to mind, and she was reminded of her reason for participating in the tournament once more.  _ I'll take school a little more seriously when I have the time, _ she decided. "So… you're not really interested in winning the tournament, then?" she asked thoughtfully.

Julia smiled, then, a small, quiet smile that made Xiaoyu wish she had the older girl's poise. "All I really want is my data," she admitted. "If I have to win the tournament to get it, then that's what I'll do. I was hoping that I'd be able to find it on my own, though, and just leave."

"Use the tournament as a distraction while you find your stuff, you mean," Xiaoyu said. Seeing the other girl's affirmative nod, she took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll help you out! With someone like me working on the inside, we'll be sure to find your data in no time!" She grinned brightly at Julia's surprised look. "Besides, helping you out will probably bug Kazuya. That's enough reason in itself!" she cheered.

Julia laughed pleasantly, and Xiaoyu found herself staring at the beautiful girl once more. "What's the matter?" the Native American asked, leaning over and cupping her hand in her chin.

"Oh… well, it's just that I'm really a big fan of yours," Xiaoyu admitted with a blush. "I think you're one of the greatest fighters in the tournament. You made it pretty far last time, too," she admitted. "You're sort of like my idol," she added in a rush.

Julia rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "You're not the one who sent me that letter about the Tournament, are you?" she asked Xiaoyu. "Someone's been sponsoring my participation, but I still haven't found out who it is."

Xiaoyu giggled and shook her head. "Hey, it's not me, I'm just a fan, not a stalker! But maybe that means you have a secret admirer!" Her eyes grew misty as she clasped her hands together. "That's so romantic! Aren't you excited?"

"Excited isn't exactly the word I'd use," Julia replied. "I can see you're a die-hard romantic, though. That's cute," she laughed.

Both girls froze as their newfound friendship was interrupted by the rough pounding on Xiaoyu's door. "Open up!" bellowed the unmistakable voice of a guard as the doorknob rattled.

"What do we do now?" Julia mouthed, her eyes wide as Xiaoyu sprung away from the door.

"Quick, take off your jacket and your shoes!" Xiaoyu whispered, racing over to her dresser and haphazardly throwing a few articles onto the floor. Satisfied with the mess she had made, she raced to the bed and mussed up the comforter, and then immediately launched an attack on one of the older girl's braids.

"What are you doing?" Julia hissed, still struggling out of her boots.

"Just trust me!" Xiaoyu answered, satisfied as she managed to partially undue half of the thick braid of hair. Both girls looked up as the door rattled once more.

"Open up now or we'll break the door down," the guard warned threateningly.

"I'm coming, keep your pants on!" Xiaoyu called out loudly, gesturing for Julia to sit down as she threw a magazine at her. "Just open this up and pretend like you're reading!"

Julia raised an uncertain eyebrow, looking at the contents of the magazine. " _ 20 ways to please your man _ ?" she choked. "I didn't think anyone actually bought these things!"

Xiaoyu ignored her and flung open the door, putting her hands on her hips and blocking the way into her room. "There'd better be a good excuse for this," she said primly, glaring at the guard.

"We've had a break-in, miss," he answered brusquely. Looking over her shoulder, he spotted Julia in the room and scowled. "Who is that?" he asked dangerously, hefting his gun.

"That's my friend, Julia. For your information, I  _ invited _ her here for a sleepover. We were in the middle of having some  _ girl time _ ," Xiaoyu said snottily.

As if on cue, Julia looked up from over the magazine, pursing her lips. "What's the problem, Xiaoyu?" she called out loudly.

Turning back to the guard, Xiaoyu pushed her finger into his armoured chest. "Why are you poking around here anyway?" she added pointedly. "Do you really think someone would bust into Mishima Corporation Headquarters just to visit me?" As the words rolled off her tongue, her eyes widened, and she grabbed the guard by the collar, pulling him down unexpectedly. "It's not Jin, is it?" she yelled, her heart racing.

Coughing, the guard pulled himself free of Xiaoyu's tight grasp. "No, miss," he answered irately. "We've had reports of a masked intruder on the forty-second floor," he said. "Do not attempt to engage him in combat, he's said to be extremely dangerous." Pulling off a walkie-talkie, he handed it to Xiaoyu. "You are to report immediately if you sight him," he added with a quick salute.

"Whatever," Xiaoyu said, slamming the door in his face. She turned to Julia with a look of relief. "Hey, they're not looking for you after all," she said, preparing to toss the small radio aside.

"Let me see that," Julia replied, flinging the magazine away and holding out her hand. Puzzled, Xiaoyu nodded and handed the small device to the older girl. She sank down to her knees, watching as Julia sat on the bed and began to fiddle with the radio. A burst of loud static erupted, followed by the angry shouting of the Tekken Force guards. Xiaoyu winced and covered her ears; she could barely follow the mishmash of sound emanating from the walkie-talkie.

"Whoever he is, he's good," Julia noted, popping open a panel on the device and fiddling with the wires inside. "Getting inside this place is hard work," she explained as she pulled a knife from her pocket and yanked on another wire. "I had some inside information from the G Corp to help me out. It's a long shot, but…" Smiling with satisfaction, she held out her hand as the radio stopped buzzing and gave a loud click. "This is it. If it's a G Corp Operative, we should be able to hear him on this frequency," she explained.

"Wow," Xiaoyu said again, her eyes round as she watched the Native American hold the radio up to her ear and adjust the dials carefully. "I don't know anything about computers," she said in awe.

Julia smiled distractedly, still turning a knob on the radio. "This isn't really computing, this is just some basic engineering," she admitted. "I can try to show you… wait a second, here it is," she said, the smile dropping as she raised the volume.

Static crackled through the room, and then, faintly, a deep male voice registered.  _ "…en to headquarters. I repeat, Heihachi Mishima is alive! Awaiting orders!" _

Xiaoyu let out a small gasp, her attention focused completely on the small device. It clicked and buzzed, and then a different voice answered.  _ "This is headquarters. We have confirmed your situation. Your orders are to withdraw immediately. Do not attempt to engage the target. Repeat, do not engage the target!" _

The radio clicked once more.  _ "Understood. Raven out." _

Slowly, Julia reached out and flipped off the device, then looked up at Xiaoyu with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

Xiaoyu opened and closed her mouth silently. "He's alive," she whispered.  _ He's alive, and he didn't tell me. _ "I don't know," she answered finally, unable to think of anything else.

Moments later, the sirens in the building died out, leaving the two girls in silence.


	8. 07: Jade

Xiaoyu regarded the fighting pit before her with wide eyes. "I can't believe this place," she muttered, looking at the mounds of glittering treasure piled all around the low stone floor. The entire room looked like the perfect lair for a pirate captain to make his base. The impression might have come from the fact that it actually  _ was _ a set from the latest swashbuckling-themed film. "I wonder who came up with the idea to fight on a movie set anyway?" she murmured appreciatively. The effect certainly was dramatic. Hearing no response to her observations, Xiaoyu turned around and sought out her companion. "Are you sure you're ready?" she asked, fidgeting. Julia straightened her braids and ignored the young girl, passing her hands in front of her face and shaking her head. It was a practice she did before almost every match, and as Xiaoyu leaned in, she heard the older girl whisper.

"Spirits, give me strength," Julia breathed, her eyes closed. They cracked open as Xiaoyu tapped her on the shoulder. "Oh, what is it?" she queried with a small smile.

"I was just wondering what you were saying," Xiaoyu said curiously.

Julia looked away, her eyes narrowing at the tall figure across the room. "It's a prayer to the spirits of the forest. I ask them to fill me with the strength to win my battles."

"Does it work?" Xiaoyu asked.

"Only if you believe," Julia answered, leaning down and checking the laces on her boots.

"You mean if I start worshipping those spirits of yours, I'll get stronger?" Xiaoyu said, her eyebrows rising. "You just might convert me with an offer like that!" Her smile dropped as Julia stood up and gave her a disapproving look.

"I take my faith very seriously, Xiaoyu," Julia said sternly. "Even so, what I meant was that it works if you believe in yourself." Squaring her shoulders, she jumped off of the ledge and into the stone pit below.

Xiaoyu watched as Julia slowly approached the center of the darkened stone pit and awkwardly returned her opponent's quick bow. She crossed her fingers under her chin and attempted a small prayer of her own. "Please let Julia win this match, please please!" she murmured under her breath.

"Hey," said a loud voice from behind her. "Why are you here?" Hwoarang asked brusquely as he stepped up to the ledge by Xiaoyu's side, startling her.

"Ahh!" she shrieked, and then quickly clapped her hands over her mouth. "Hwoarang," she hissed as she turned to face him. "Don't sneak up on me like that! You scared me!"

"Good," he said nastily. "Are you following me? Maybe trying to weasel out of our deal? I know your next match is today." He smirked.

Xiaoyu winced. "Jerk," she murmured. "That's not it! This match is closed, you're not even supposed to be here!" she said more loudly.

"So what? Neither are you," Hwoarang said carelessly. "I won't tell if you don't," he offered.

Xiaoyu eyed him suspiciously before giving the tall redhead a quick nod. "I'm here to support Julia," she said. "We, uh, bumped into each other yesterday and sort of hit it off," she explained.

Hwoarang shrugged and turned his gaze to the two contestants as the fight bell sounded, resonating across the stone pit. "I came to watch Master Baek," he answered. "Sorry, but your friend's gonna lose."

Xiaoyu peered at Julia's opponent more closely, finally recognizing the silver-haired man. "Oh, so that's your master," she said. "He taught you everything you know?" Seeing Hwoarang's affirmative nod, she grinned smugly. "Thanks, now I  _ know _ Julia will win."

Hwoarang's teeth clicked together as he glared at Xiaoyu, but a sharp yell brought their attention back to the battle. After almost a minute of cautious circling, Baek made the first attack, leaping forward and snapping his foot up in a high straight kick.

Julia leaned back, narrowly avoiding the blow. Then, with a glint in her eye, she leaned to her side, her booted foot shooting out high and striking the older man on the chest. Dropping into a quick spin, her foot lashed out and smashed against Baek's legs. Without stopping, she extended her arms and rose, finishing the quick triple kick with another high strike to his head. It connected with a loud crack, and Baek stumbled unsteadily from the blow.

"Yeah!" Xiaoyu cheered, jumping up and down. She smiled smugly as she heard Hwoarang snort next to her.

"Just luck," he growled, his expression displeased.

"Yeah, luck," Xiaoyu agreed merrily as Julia pressed her advantage, using Baek's momentary confusion to concentrate on her next attack. Xiaoyu forgot about teasing Hwoarang, her attention snapping forward as Julia planted her feet on the ground and exhaled heavily. The Native American pulled her fist towards her abdomen, her face tight with concentration, and as she did, Xiaoyu felt as though she was being drawn towards the other girl.

_ What is this feeling? _ she wondered, staring at Julia. It was as if all of the energy in the room was being sucked towards Julia's slowly moving hand.  _ It's like… when Jin and Kazuya fought, _ Xiaoyu realized, confused. It wasn't as strong as the swirling energy that surrounded the father and son; Julia's motions carried a more natural, much less threatening feel, and only a fraction of the power. But it made the back of her skull tingle all the same.

"What's she doing?" Hwoarang said, raising his eyebrow. "She's just standing there with her fist up!" he yelled incredulously. "Damn, if Baek would just recover, he could take her right now!"

"She's gathering her life force."

Hwoarang glanced down in surprise at Xiaoyu, who was ignoring him completely. She almost seemed to be in a trance, her eyes locked on Julia's figure. "What?" he said.

With shock, Xiaoyu realized that the sensation washing over her was familiar. She already knew it, had felt it when she had pulled herself together to defeat Bruce Irvine. She was standing before a huge, complicated puzzle, holding the last piece in her hand and desperately trying to make it fit.  _ This is important! _ she thought, straining to feel the threads of energy coursing through the room.  _ Is this what you were trying to teach me all those years, Grandfather? Is this what will help me cure Jin? _ It was no use, though; the more Xiaoyu tried to focus on her feeling, the more the sensations faded. Finally, she gave up, frustrated. "You really don't feel anything?" she asked Hwoarang.

"You're nuts," said Hwoarang, his eyes focusing on Julia now as well.

"He won't be able to block it," Xiaoyu countered, certain she knew what was coming. And then Julia sprang forward, letting her breath rush out in a high-pitched yell as she dropped her shoulder. Her fist snapped forward into a powerful uppercut, releasing the pent-up energy she had been gathering.

"Holy shit!" Hwoarang swore as the blow connected with Baek's chin, sending him flying upwards several feet. "That girl can hit! What is she, a weight lifter in her spare time?"

Baek managed to recover and rise in record time, still swaying unsteadily but bouncing on the balls of his feet once more. Julia charged towards him, obviously trying to finish him off.

"C'mon, Master," Hwoarang mumbled, his hand forming into a fist.

With surprising agility, Baek managed to jump up as Julia approached him, twisting around for a backwards spin. His feet lashed outwards as he was airborne, catching the girl by surprise and sending her flying a good distance back as the blow connected.

"Yeah!" Hwoarang yelled loudly as Julia fell to the ground. His jubilation died down into a scowl as he saw how quickly she managed to regain her footing, though. Baek's spectacular kick had put a good distance between himself and his enemy, but compared to Julia's severe hits, he had hardly even winded her. "Master Baek can land his kicks faster than she can make those punches," he said to Xiaoyu, who was biting her lower lip. "If she tries to charge him right now, she's toast!"

As expected, Baek waited on the far end of the room, his eyes narrowed. He bounced slightly, his posture poised, waiting for Julia to approach him. She did, but in a way that was completely unexpected. Crouching low, she launched herself high into the air, drawing her arms into her chest. It was a good sized leap, almost making it appear as though she was floating through the air towards Baek.

"Wow," Xiaoyu gasped. She herself could achieve a pretty good height with her front layouts, especially when she had a running start. Julia's high jump, however, was a matter of sheer power. She heard Hwoarang's sharp intake of breath as he made the same realization.

Unfortunately, Baek's reaction was slower than that of his audience, and he stared for just a moment too long in shock as Julia began her descent. No fancy move followed, and he let out a surprised yell as the Native American crashed into him feet first, slamming his body into the ground with enough force to shatter the wooden staging beneath him. She immediately rolled off and stood in guard position once more, but there was no need. Baek lay motionless on the floor, unconscious from the powerful hit Julia had delivered.

There was a silence, then the bell rung twice. "Baek Doo San forfeits the second round by injury," crackled the announcer's voice over the loudspeakers. "Julia Chang wins both matches."

Julia bowed her head in acceptance and then approached the fallen man. She knelt by his side and carefully planted her hand on the Baek's forehead. An angry shout echoed through the room, and she looked up to see Hwoarang springing off of the ledge and taking long angry strides towards her.

"Get your hands off him, bitch!" he shouted, reaching Julia and shoving her hand violently away from his master.

Julia stood up and crossed her arms, eyeing Hwoarang disgustedly. "You're that foul-mouthed Korean," she noted with disapproval. "Well, don't worry, he'll be fine. It was just a little knock to the head; he should recover in a few moments." As if to prove her point, Baek moaned and stirred slightly.

"Shut up," Hwoarang answered, glaring fiercely at Julia as he helped the unsteady Baek to his feet. "Master Baek might be too old to fight you off, but I'm not," he snarled. "You'll have it coming, so watch your back!" His dramatic vow for vengeance was cut short by a very unprofessional "Oww!" as Baek slapped the back of his student's head viciously. "What was that for?" he yelled.

The silver-haired man matched Hwoarang's glare with one of his own. "You will take that statement back and apologize to the young lady," he instructed, still leaning heavily on Hwoarang's proffered arm.

"But Master—" Hwoarang began, his face twisting in protest.

"Part of mastering the art of combat is learning to lose gracefully, Hwoarang," Baek responded strictly. "That is one of the primary reasons why you are still only a student!"

" _ Owned _ ," whispered Xiaoyu teasingly as she snuck up to the group. She grinned and stuck her tongue out, unphased as Hwoarang's burning glare finally landed on her.

"That was an excellent battle, Miss Chang," Baek said, addressing Julia. "I am sorry I couldn't provide you with more competition. I suppose you can't teach an old dog new tricks after all."

Julia smiled in response, bowing very low to Baek as a gesture of respect. "No, please," she said softly. "It was an honour to be able to fight a great master such as yourself. I look forward to meeting you again one day," she said. The two shared a companionable smile before Hwoarang let out a loud, impatient groan.

"Yeah, great, why don't we all hold hands now and sing kumbaya," he growled. Snatching his arm away from Baek roughly, he straightened his posture and cracked his knuckles together. "I gotta run. My match is comin' up next," he said, moving towards the exit.

"Good luck," Baek said to Hwoarang, turning to follow his student. He stumbled after only a few steps, however, his hands going to his head. Julia stepped in quickly to catch the older man before he could fall to his knees.

"I think I'd better help you out of here," Julia said in a voice that brokered no argument. "Perhaps that knock on the head was a little more than I thought," she told Baek apologetically. "Xiaoyu, thanks for coming along. Maybe we can meet at your place about 'that other thing' after your match?" she called out.

"Sure thing!" Xiaoyu said cheerfully. "I have to prepare for my own battle anyway…" She trailed off and whirled around, panic written across her face. "Oh no!" Xiaoyu yelled, racing after the tall Korean. She leaped onto the ledge and shot through the doorway, sighing with relief as she saw he was still in sight. "Hwoarang, wait! I still have to talk to you about this uniform thing!" she yelled.

"Hah, I knew it," Hwoarang said with boredom, not stopping his quick pace until he reached his parked motorcycle. "I don't have time to argue with you, Ling. You're wearing that uniform today, that's my price."

Xiaoyu stomped her foot in response. "Ohh! Don't you understand, I don't fit into it anymore! Can't you think up of something else?" she shouted at him. Seeing that he was ignoring her, Xiaoyu planted her hands firmly around the handlebars of the bike, preventing him from starting it up.

Hwoarang rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm gonna be late," he tried. Xiaoyu didn't budge, and Hwoarang let out a low sigh. "Fine, get on," he said roughly.

"What?" Xiaoyu said, releasing the handlebars in confusion.

"I haven't got all day. Just hop on, we'll talk about it there." He revved the motor, and glared at Xiaoyu impatiently as she stood by, twisting her hands uncertainly. "Loosen up, Sunshine," he grinned. "Or are you afraid of riding bicycles?" he smirked.

"But we don't have helmets!" Xiaoyu protested as she slung herself behind Hwoarang, a small part of her brain loudly screaming that this was a very bad idea.

"Man, do you always follow the rules?" Hwoarang swore as he took off.

Xiaoyu couldn't manage to answer as she let out a scream and grabbed onto the Korean's waist for dear life, certain she was going to die. Hwoarang seemed to take a particular glee in her discomfort, for he revved the engine once more and began racing through the streets at a breakneck pace, weaving in and out of (sometimes oncoming) traffic.

"AAAAAAH!" Xiaoyu wailed, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as they narrowly missed another car. The sound of the blaring horn faded away much too quickly for Xiaoyu's liking, and she let out another ear-piercing scream.

"Jesus Christ! Do you have to yell that loud?" Hwoarang yelled over his shoulder irately. "You're making it hard to concentrate!"

"I'M GOING TO DIE!" Xiaoyu cried, keeping her eyes shut as she heard another horn blare at them.

"We're all gonna die someday," Hwoarang yelled back at her. "Might as well live a little before you do," he laughed, and then hissed in pain as her nails dug into the skin of his stomach through his shirt. "Oww! Shit, just loosen up a little, will ya?"

"That's easy for you to say!" Xiaoyu screamed back. "I wasn't planning to die until I was old and grey and had sex at least once in my life!"

That did cause the motorcycle to swerve unexpectedly before Hwoarang managed to recover. "You're still a virgin? Really?" he asked interestedly, glancing over his shoulder at Xiaoyu. "So you mean you and Jin-"

"GET YOUR EYES BACK ON THAT ROAD!" Xiaoyu screamed into his ear. "Oh God or Buddha or great spirits or whatever is up there, I'm really sorry for all of the bad things I've ever done and please don't let me die on the back of this stupid motorcycle or at least kill Hwoarang first and let me live to see it!" she wailed desperately.

Hwoarang clicked his tongue with irritation. "Fine, fine, I'll slow down," he grumbled, "we're here already anyway." With a screech, he expertly brought the motorcycle up short against the warehouse and killed the engine. He swung one leg over the seat, sliding off the bike, then did a double take as he caught sight of his passenger. Xiaoyu had already fallen off the bike and was kneeling face-down on the ground, kissing it.

"I'll never do that again, I swear!" she promised the asphalt, hugging it as though it were her Panda.

Hwoarang rolled his eyes and poked his toe into Xiaoyu's side. "Get up, the match is inside," he said. "Besides, I don't have a camera with me right now. What a waste of perfectly good blackmail material," he grunted as an afterthought.

"I'd kick you if my legs didn't feel like jell-o right now," Xiaoyu growled, struggling to her feet. Seeing that he wasn't waiting for her, she quickly slapped her cheeks a few times to bring the colour back into her face and then hurried after Hwoarang into the huge building. "I think after a ride like that, I don't owe you anything!" she spat at his back. "So why don't you just fight your match, I'll fight mine, and we can go back to ignoring each other just like before, okay?"

"I dunno, it's kind of fun annoying you," he answered, grinning down at her. "Definitely a lot more satisfying than trying to make Jin mad," he added. Seeing her scowl, he held up his hands in defeat. "Alright, alright, I can see you're not gonna stop bugging me about this. How about a compromise?" he asked her. "If I lose my match now, you don't have to wear the uniform."

Xiaoyu eyed Hwoarang suspiciously. "What's the catch?" she said cautiously. As suspected, he broke into a wide grin.

"Well, seeing as how I'm not gonna lose, there's gotta be something in it for me too," he told her. "So if I win, you have to wear the uniform today, AND if you make it to the next round, I get to chose what you wear for the match after that, too." He grinned and put his hands behind his head lazily. "So what's it gonna be?"

Xiaoyu chewed her lip nervously. It was still a risk, but the odds were, in theory, on her side. Seeing Hwoarang's smug look, she also knew it was the only break she would get from him. "Fine, it's a deal."

They both paused and took in their surroundings in the warehouse. The area was dark and cavernous, and many empty wooden crates were scattered haphazardly across the floor. The whole place looked abandoned, and they appeared to be alone. "This is spooky," Xiaoyu said to herself. "Are you sure you got the right place?" she asked Hwoarang.

"This is it," he answered her confidently. "Damn, this guy is later than me," he said, running a hand through his unruly spiked hair. "I don't wanna win this match with a goddamn forfeit!" he sulked, pacing around the empty room. "This bastard better show up," he muttered.

"Who are you fighting, anyway?" Xiaoyu called out to him.

"Some newcomer," Hwoarang told Xiaoyu, shedding his jacket and letting it drop carelessly to the floor. "He's this big black dude, always wearing his sunglasses everywhere, even indoors. Says his name's Raven," he added.

Xiaoyu put her hand over her mouth, inhaling sharply. "Raven?" she asked. "You're fighting him now?"

Hwoarang nodded, still searching the room for his opponent. "Why, do you know him?"

Xiaoyu shook her head. "No, I—I only heard of him," she said hesitantly. "I think he's good," she added nervously.

Hwoarang stopped bouncing for a moment and looked at Xiaoyu strangely. "Huh," he said.

Xiaoyu's head cleared, and she raised an eyebrow at the Korean. "'Huh' what?" she asked.

"You," he said, shrugging. "If he's really that good, you should be bouncing off the walls, right?"

"It's not that, it's just- Hwoarang," Xiaoyu gasped, her face paling and her voice trailing off as she lifted a finger and pointed behind him.

The redhead spun around suddenly and took a large step backward as a figure stepped out of the shadows. "Where the hell did he come from?" Hwoarang snarled as he jumped back, eyeing the newcomer warily.

The dark-skinned man was huge and muscular, but he moved with the grace of a cat. His dark sunglasses seemed to absorb the surrounding light, completely masking his eyes. Still, Xiaoyu didn't need to see them to recognize the chill she was feeling in her very bones.  _ He's not like us,  _ she thought to herself.  _ This man is a killer. _ She stepped backwards, suddenly feeling very cold. "Hwoarang," she said, though her voice came out more as a scared whisper. "Be careful!"

Recovering from his initial shock, the redhead's face dropped into a deeper scowl than usual. "So, you're the one I'm going to beat today," Hwoarang said with boredom. "Damn, and I was hoping for a challenge."

Raven's face remained impassive. He simply crossed his arms, waiting.

"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" Hwoarang said, taking up his own fighting stance and bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I'll enjoy taking you down," he hissed.

Xiaoyu remained still, the school uniform dilemma forgotten for the moment.  _ This man… _ she thought, her eyes glued to Raven.  _ This man knows where Heihachi Mishima is! _

As if he could feel her stare, Raven inclined his head slightly, looking over Hwoarang's shoulder. "You know something," he said to Xiaoyu after a moment, his voice deep and grating.

"Hey, I'm the one who's talkin' to you!" Hwoarang interrupted, clearly getting pissed off. His face grew angrier as Xiaoyu ignored him as well.

"I need to know!" Xiaoyu blurted out suddenly. "Is Heihachi really still alive?" she asked. She suddenly hated her voice, hearing it echo through the large building. It sounded uncertain and weak, much like she felt at the moment.

Raven's eyebrows lowered slightly over his dark sunglasses. "Who are you working for?" he asked coldly, unfolding his arms slowly.

Xiaoyu squeaked. "I-I'm not working for anyone!" she stuttered, taking another step back. She could feel Raven's stare boring into her from behind his glasses, and she suddenly had the feeling that she was being targeted, as if he had two laser cannons hidden behind the dark lenses. Considering all of the strange contestants she had met during the Iron Fist Tournaments, she wouldn't have been surprised if he actually could shoot beams from his eyes.

"Who provided you with that information?" he asked again, taking another step forward and putting a hand behind his back. Xiaoyu knew then with certainty that if she didn't answer, and quickly, the huge man was going to kill her, tournament and cameras and audience aside. She could feel it in her bones and automatically slid into her fighting stance, even as her skin grew cold and clammy with fear.

Raven's advance was halted by a palm slamming into his chest. The black man glanced down at the hand on his vest, then slowly looked up at the offender. "I cannot allow you to interfere," he said tonelessly.

Hwoarang only smirked and shoved, pushing the big man back. "Your fight's with me, asshole."

The air was charged with tension as the two men stared each other down, and neither moved as the fight bell sounded, its echo strange and out of place in the empty warehouse. Finally, Raven sank smoothly into a low crouch, crossing his arms before his chest, his face still impassive.

"Very well. Let's get this over with."


	9. 08: Firecracker

Xiaoyu didn't waste any moment to watch the two men square off in their silent testosterone battle when the fight bell sounded. As soon as Hwoarang provided Raven with enough of a distraction to take his razor-sharp attention away from her, she sped towards safety. Sprinting behind one of the empty crates, she flipped onto it, and springing from one to the next until she had achieved what she felt was a secure distance from the dark assassin. Turning, she kneeled onto the crate and watched the battle with a sense of nervous anticipation.

Hwoarang had taken up his fighting stance, holding himself loosely as he bounced on the balls of his feet. In comparison with Raven, who was crouched low and holding himself almost motionless, he looked almost hyper-active. The black man held only the illusion of stillness, however, quickly broken as he sprung forward, turning gracefully and pushing backwards with a powerful elbow-chop. Hwoarang backed away and quickly countered, lashing out with his foot a few times. He managed to clip Raven across the cheek with a quick strike, but the assassin's head snapped back almost as quickly as it had been struck, and he sunk down into his battle position once more.

Xiaoyu narrowed her eyes, trying to predict the outcome of the battle. Hwoarang definitely had more speed than his massive opponent, and his long legs still had their incredible reach. The rippling muscles in Raven's arms, however, promised that any blow he managed to land would be painful. Hwoarang seemed to have made the same assessment, his constant motion also serving to keep him out of the range of Raven's powerful punches. And, as the Korean demonstrated with another rush forward, still completely within the range of his lightning-fast kicks. He aimed two high kicks at Raven's head, which the black man managed to block smoothly, then backed off quickly and switched his stance again, scowling.

"Hwoarang's fast kicks aren't hurting Raven, but at least Raven can't reach Hwoarang," Xiaoyu mumbled, worrying her lower lip. "One of them is going to have to make a mistake for this to get interesting." She groaned at her own analysis; if there was one thing she knew Hwoarang to excel at, it was certainly making mistakes. "Well… there's always a first time for everything," she muttered, crossing her fingers. She groaned as Hwoarang launched into a verbal taunt, attempting to make Raven lose his cool.

"You remind me of a brick," he called out with boredom. "I knew this fight wouldn't be a challenge! You can't even move fast enough to hit me!"

Raven only raised one eyebrow. Then, he ducked his head down and pitched forward.

"Where do you think you're goin—" Hwoarang's loud question was cut off by a heavy booted foot which sent him reeling backwards. Raven had effectively closed the distance between them by somersaulting head over heels, his airborne feet smashing the cocky Korean directly over his head. He followed by winding up a couple of powerful punches which smashed into Hwoarang's stomach with an audible smack.

Xiaoyu winced and rolled her eyes. "You big dummy!" she whispered anxiously. "Come on, come on, recover and hit back!" she chanted, clenching her fists as Hwoarang staggered backwards. The redhead regained his balance and turned his head to the side, spitting, before glaring back at Raven with undisguised rage. Xiaoyu dropped her head into her hands in despair. "Why does that big idiot have to pause and stare at everything? Is it some sort of male thing?" The sound of another hit made her look up, and then she wished she hadn't. Once again, her theory was proven incorrect as Raven charged, not bothering to respond to Hwoarang's aggressive posturing. He landed a backhanded fist to the redhead's cheek, then swept to the floor for a low kick that knocked the younger man onto his back. Leaping up, he landed on Hwoarang with surprising swiftness and raised his hand over the Korean's face. Xiaoyu let out a tiny scream. "Don't kill him!" she cried out.

A bell chimed through the warehouse, and Raven froze. He could have passed for a statue, his body motionless and his fist poised over Hwoarang's face, dark glasses revealing nothing.

Xiaoyu almost wept with relief at the second chance Hwoarang had been given.  _ The tournament, I forgot about the tournament _ , Xiaoyu thought wildly.  _ Maybe he won't try to kill us until the cameras are off! _

The announcer's voice boomed out over the room, calling the bout. "Raven wins," crackled the voice. "Fighters, prepare for the next round."

Smoothly, Raven rolled off of his opponent and crouched down into his fighting stance, no expression on his face. Hwoarang stumbled to his feet with considerable more difficulty, breathing heavily.

"Concentrate," Xiaoyu whispered to herself. "Just this once, you big idiot! He's not playing a game!"

Cracking his knuckles, Hwoarang fell into his fighting stance, jumping in place and twisting his torso a bit, all taunting gone. His eyes still burned with an unvoiced anger, but his usual bravado was gone, and he backed a cautious distance away from the black man even before the fight bell sounded.

"Fight!" sounded the announcer, and Hwoarang didn't hesitate. His foot lashed out in a powerful high jab, which once again Raven blocked. This time, however, he didn't back away, but used the chance to fall into his flamingo stance, pinning his opponent under a barrage of right and left kicks.

Xiaoyu let out a low whistle as Raven blocked the first few attacks, but Hwoarang remained relentless. "He's definitely got stamina," she noted appreciatively as the redhead kept kicking in rapid succession with his left leg, then quickly jump-switched to his right and continued his assault.

The attack worked as Raven misjudged the last kick and took a heavy hit to the chest, making him stumble. The redhead immediately pressed his advantage, launching into an explosive axe-kick that sent the surprised assassin into the air. Hwoarang followed him with a leap of his own, spinning back and lashing out with his foot.

"That's Baek's kick!" Xiaoyu said, recognizing the attack that Baek had used to fend off Julia. Hwoarang's version definitely packed more of a punch, particularly on his airborne victim. Raven flew backwards, smashing into a few of the empty crates and splintering them. Hwoarang landed neatly near the crate and bounced on his feet, obviously waiting for the moment the assassin would emerge from the messy pile to land another easy kick.

The bell rang again, and the match was called. "Hwoarang wins," the announcer stated.

Raven rose from the crates, his face still expressionless, but the tension held within his figure clearly visible. Hwoarang spared him the usual insults, only squaring his shoulders and falling back into his guard position, waiting for the next bout to begin.

"Final Round," the announcer intoned ominously, and the two men squared off once more. Raven made the first move, his knee coming up for what appeared to be a high strike towards Hwoarang. As the tall Korean ducked, however, Raven shifted his weight in mid-strike and brought his heel down quickly, slamming his heavy booted foot into Hwoarang's shins.

Xiaoyu winced as she heard the blow connect; it was clear the assassin was trying to disable Hwoarang's offensive barrage by injuring, perhaps even breaking his legs. She felt her surprise grow, however, as Hwoarang responded to the attack. Hwoarang was loud, rude and the antithesis of the concept of discipline, or so she had thought. The Hwoarang who recovered from the blow, however, had very little in common with the one she had come to know. Perhaps it was his time in the army, or just a matter of getting older, but the man that rose to face Raven was not an opponent she would have wanted to face personally. The rage still burned clearly in his eyes, but it was tempered by a discipline that she wouldn't have guessed Hwoarang could possess. As he shot up from the unexpected blow, he skilfully backed out of Raven's reach and quickly recovered his own fighting stance, all vestiges of humour and bravado aside.

Raven noticed the change and hesitated, and Hwoarang struck with deadly accuracy. With one quick roundhouse kick, he managed to swing himself back into the deadly flamingo stance and begin his attack once more. This time he aimed low, catching Raven off guard and returning the blow the assassin had dealt him. His attacks were relentless and completely unpredictable.

_ He fights like fire _ , Xiaoyu thought, watching Hwoarang mercilessly continue his assault on the larger man, who had switched completely to a defensive posture. It was true; Hwoarang's attack was wild and unstoppable, requiring only the smallest opening in his opponent's defense to flare up and overtake him. Even as she watched, Xiaoyu couldn't help but compare his style to Jin. "Opposites in every way," she wondered. Jin's technique was always about control; smooth, flowing, and ice-cold. Hwoarang, on the other hand, fought with passion and energy, his spur-of-the-moment decisions making him extremely dangerous to try to predict. It paid off as Hwoarang connected a final solid blow to Raven's kneecap, and a loud crack sounded through the hall. The black man fell gracelessly to the ground with a loud grunt, and the bell sounded.

"Hwoarang wins, match end."

The speakers died out, and the only sound left in the empty warehouse was the panting of the two competitors. Hwoarang towered over Raven, who was still on the floor and clutching his knee in obvious pain. "Talk," he snarled impatiently.

Raven grimaced and looked away uncooperatively.

"Then kiss that other kneecap goodbye," Hwoarang answered, lifting his foot over the fallen man. He stumbled and growled as he was thrown off balance by Xiaoyu, who ploughed into him.

"Hwoarang, stop it! The match is over, you won!" she yelled as he pushed her off.

"Shut it, Ling," he snapped back at her, his eyes still burning with barely contained rage.

Xiaoyu recoiled at his words. In a strange and definitely uncomfortable way, she was beginning to consider Hwoarang something like a friend. His use of her surname after their growing familiarity was like a slap in the face, but that was not was scared her. The hatred in his eyes was changing him, morphing him from the boy she would argue with to a dangerously unfamiliar man.  _ It's wrong _ , she thought, looking at the Korean's face, still twisted into an ugly snarl.  _ He's not a killer; he's not supposed to be one of them!  _ "No, listen to me!" she yelled back, running forward and grabbing Hwoarang's arm once more. "He's not worth it. You won the match, right? You don't have to take it any further!"

Hwoarang shoved Xiaoyu's arm off once more, turning his attention back to the fallen man at his feet. "Why the hell not," he grit out, his eyes narrowed. "He tried to kill us first."

"He tried to kill  _ me  _ first," Xiaoyu corrected, stepping between the tall Korean and his prone target. Her voice softened, and a note of pleading bled into her words. "Let it go, Hwoarang. This isn't like you." Hwoarang paused, his fists clenched, and glared at Xiaoyu. " _ Please _ ," she begged, tears beginning to creep into the edges of her eyes.

Hwoarang swore and pushed Xiaoyu out of the way. "Fine," he said sourly. "You. You got lucky, Little Miss Sunshine bought you some time." He narrowed his eyes, pointed at the assassin and his tone turned deadly. "Mess with us again, and you're meat. You understand me?"

"Fine," Raven replied, grimacing and propping himself to his feet. He turned his attention to Xiaoyu. "I still need answers," he said to her.

"Shut the hell up, I'll ask the questions here!" Hwoarang barked. Then he turned on Xiaoyu as well. "I want some answers from you too! What is this shit about Heihachi Mishima being alive? How the hell do you two know each other?" He paused for a moment, thinking, and then his face turned almost as red as his hair. " _ Don't kill him? _ " he parroted in a high voice. "You thought I was gonna fuckin'  _ die _ because of this loser? Shit!"

The last was more an exclamation of wounded pride, and Xiaoyu rolled her eyes upwards. "Sorry for caring, it won't happen again!" she said sarcastically. Putting her hand on her chin, she narrowed her eyes at Raven, who was still waiting patiently for a reply. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll tell you how I know about Heihachi if you tell me what you know about him."

Raven's face was unreadable, but after a moment he gave her a curt nod. "Fair enough," he answered.

"There's another operative from the G-Corp working at the tournament," Xiaoyu said. She brought her hands up quickly as Raven and Hwoarang peered at her. "It's not me!" she said hurriedly. "And I don't think it has anything to do with your mission. But we heard your last transmission; that's how I know about Heihachi." She lowered her head and stubbed her toe into the ground. "W-we're not related, and I guess he sort of treats me like a toy or a pet or something," she stuttered clumsily, then looked up, her eyes burning brightly. "But he's the only family I have here!" she cried. "I have to know! Please, tell me! Is he really still alive?"

Raven regarded her silently, his glasses dark and reflective. When he spoke, it was without a hint of amusement. "Take some free advice, girl. You should get yourself a new family." He turned away and began to limp towards the door.

"Wait! So he really is still alive?" she called after him.

"The explosion didn't kill him," Raven answered over his shoulder without stopping. "He spent several weeks recovering in the mountains, then returned to Tokyo to participate in the tournament."

"So he's the one behind this whole thing," Hwoarang said, crossing his arms.

"No," Raven said, pausing. "Something else is at work here, something even Heihachi doesn't know about. No one knows."

Xiaoyu covered her mouth with her hand. "Do you think it might be Jin?" she asked thickly, her throat dry and afraid of what the assassin might answer.

"Jin?" Hwoarang yelled. "That dude couldn't even keep his shit together long enough to stay in Japan for the last couple of years! How the hell would he manage to pull this tournament together?"

Xiaoyu winced; Hwoarang still didn't know the truth. She could tell that Raven did, however, as he spared her another look, one she might have mistaken for compassion. "It's not Jin," he said. Then he pushed open the door and was gone.

Xiaoyu let out her breath in a whoosh, relief flooding through her body.  _ At least Devil isn't behind all this mess, _ she thought to herself. A loud cough brought her attention back to Hwoarang, who was giving her a lazy grin. With a sense of foreboding, she stepped back cautiously. "What now?" she asked him.

"So Heihachi is like your granddaddy, huh?" he said, still grinning. "I hear baldness skips a generation."

"He's not my real granddad!" Xiaoyu yelled, her hands automatically going to her ponytails. "Stop trying to weird me out!" It was too late, of course; images of Jinrei's bald, age-speckled head were dancing before her eyes, promising certain doom.

Hwoarang continued on blissfully, oblivious to Xiaoyu's sudden panic. "Naw, I meant Jin. Maybe that's why he spikes his hair up so much, tryin' to cover it up." His face turned more thoughtful as he grabbed Xiaoyu and dragged her towards the door. "You know, wouldn't that mean Jin's like your brother?"

Xiaoyu's panic was replaced by the much more familiar-feeling of slow-roasting anger as Hwoarang continued to speak.

"Talking to yourself, trying to date relatives… man, you're one sick puppy. And here I thought you were only slightly retarded. You really had me fooled!" Hwoarang said, laughing.

"Stuff it!" Xiaoyu screeched. "God, you're such a jerk! Why do I even hang out with you?" she screamed at the laughing Korean.

"Because you owe me," Hwoarang answered simply. "Twice, remember. I won, you lost. Now come on, Sunshine," he teased, "Better hurry or you'll miss your match today."

"What have I done," Xiaoyu muttered miserably to herself as Hwoarang pushed her out of the building and into the sun-lit parking lot and towards his motorcycle. The sight of what to her eyes was a metal nightmare brought her out of her moment of self-pity. "What? No way! I am not getting back on that thing!" A quick glance at her watch also provided another squeak of indignation. "And what do you mean late? I have plenty of time to get to my next match! I think I'll walk!"

"I think you'd better ride," Hwoarang said, swinging a leg over the motorcycle. "Remember, you've got to stop by your place and pick up your clothes." Seeing Xiaoyu's crestfallen face, he frowned. "Hey, like I said, loosen up. I'll make sure you get there in time," he grinned, clapping the handlebar of his motorcycle a few times encouragingly.

Xiaoyu let out another moan and dropped her head in defeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: It's a rather short chapter, but I'm still recovering from "vacation." Living together with non-internet-saavy parents for three months during the middle of a move can put a real cramp in anyone's style. Anyway, the author's notes drop off of chapters that I've finally managed to correct and proofread. Don't be afraid to point out my spelling, word, or redundant department of redundancy errors when you see them in your reviews. And do, please, review! I give cookies to reviewers! Hope everyone had good holidays as well and good luck in 2006.


	10. 09: Poison Flower

"I don't believe this," Xiaoyu mumbled miserably, trying to pull her skirt down. It didn't work very well; the tiny uniform skirt rode up high, and she was sure that the moment a strong breeze blew the entire world would be subject to a first class view of her navy blue bloomers.

"Yeah, who would've thought you had legs," Hwoarang quipped, staring appreciatively.

"Just shut up," Xiaoyu growled, her face flushing. It was bad enough that modesty was preventing her from threatening him with her usual barricade of high kicks; she didn't want to give him any more of a view than he was already having. "I need to concentrate for the fight, so back off!" she growled as they entered the temple grounds. "This is supposed to be a closed match anyway. Why don't you just watch TV like everybody else?"

Hwoarang made a great show of yawning loudly before answering. "You know they always cut the best parts out of that version," he answered, sauntering through the large pillars after Xiaoyu.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Xiaoyu muttered. She stopped as they entered the temple grounds, and for a moment she forgot her malcontent as she took in their surroundings. The remote temple the fight was slated to take place in had long since fallen into disarray, but not even the broken, splintered wood of the building or the cracked stone of the courtyard could mask the beauty of the ancient hideaway. Small bursts of green growing through the crumbling stone only added to the wild, abandoned magical atmosphere of the temple.

"This is one of the more remote fight locations," Xiaoyu said absently, clasping her hands together and making a cursory bow in the direction of the dilapidated shrine. "I bet this place must have been beautiful once," she added softly.

"Well it's crap now," Hwoarang answered, kicking at the trunk of a massive ginkgo tree which had fallen in a corner of the yard. He scowled and shrugged his shoulders as Xiaoyu frowned at him.

"Don't be so disrespectful! This is a holy temple," she scolded him.

"Holy to the Japanese. In case you hadn't noticed, we're foreigners," Hwoarang answered with boredom. "Besides, you're not even religious!"

Xiaoyu sighed and rolled her eyes. "Just forget it. I don't need any additional stress before my match!" Reminded of her purpose, Xiaoyu took another more careful look around the courtyard, which remained as empty as it was when they had entered. "I wonder where he is anyway?" she mused nervously, biting her lip. "Maybe we got here a little too early."

"You're fighting that new guy, right? Bet he got lost trying to find this shithole," Hwoarang said, flopping down lazily on a moss covered stone. "Damn, this is boring. Wake me up when he gets here," he complained, before dropping onto his back and throwing an arm over his eyes.

"You know, I wish you'd stop dumping on this place," Xiaoyu began, pointing her finger at the tall Korean, who didn't bother to move. "It's bad luck, and I don't need you cursing me before…" She trailed off as a familiar sensation washed over her. Spine tingling, she swivelled her head around and peered into the dark, yawning entrance of the abandoned shrine.

"What?" Hwoarang said, lifting his arm briefly to peer in her direction before dropping his head back with annoyance. "Are you spacing out again?"

Xiaoyu ignored him and turned towards the shrine, taking one cautious step forward. The shrine entrance was shrouded by an almost impenetrable darkness, one that her eyes couldn't adjust for in the late afternoon sunlight.  _ I can feel it. I know something's there, _ Xiaoyu thought to herself. She took another step forward and squinted into the darkness. "Wait out here for a second," she muttered softly. "I'm going to take a quick look inside."

"Knock yourself out," Hwoarang answered, yawning. "Just wake up in time to let this Feng Wei guy do it too."

Xiaoyu spared one last glance back at the Korean to scowl and stick her tongue out; a wasted effort, since he was still splayed over the stone courtyard, soaking up the afternoon sun like an indolent cat. She returned her attention to the yawning temple entrance, which seemed to beckon to her. "It's probably just my imagination," she whispered to herself as she climbed the stone steps. A gust of cool air made her shiver as she paused at the door; the darkness, however, would still not reveal its secrets. Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, Xiaoyu plunged into the temple quickly, before her resolve could flee.

The cool, slightly damp air inside of the shrine smelled of moss and rotting wood; old, musty, but not particularly unpleasant. It took a few moments for Xiaoyu's eyes to adjust to the dark interior, but after a moment, she could make out the dim forms of her surroundings. Cracked statues lined the walls, frozen in their silent gestures. For some reason, seeing the sculptures left to decay in the temple made her feel sad; their bodies were crumbling, but still they held their positions faithfully, trying to impart their lessons on a lost audience. The sense of unease and foreboding faded as she wandered through the empty shrine, stopping at one of the larger statues embedded into the wall. It was slightly less damaged than the others, and the serene eyes of the carved figure caused her to relax. "It really was all in my head," she said, giggling as her voice bounced over the walls. The sound of stone crunching underfoot caused her to gasp and whirl around in shock, panic overtaking her as a darkened figure stepped forward.

"I always liked that one best," her quiet observer noted as he approached her and stopped at her side. "It reminds me of my mother."

"Jin?" Xiaoyu held herself very still, afraid that if she moved, he would suddenly disappear, like the phantom he seemed to be in the tournament. He turned to face her and pulled his hood back, and Xiaoyu felt a wave of relief and surprise as she took in his finely chiselled features. Even washed in the darkness of the temple, it was clear to see that Jin's face was unmarred by signs of any demonic possession. He looked, in fact, better than he had since the last two times she had seen him. "Is it really you?" she asked breathlessly. The barest twisting of his lips was the closest Jin ever came to smiling, only recognizable by those who spent their days studying his behaviour and mannerisms. It was as clear as the sunny day outside to her, though, and Xiaoyu tried to keep herself from ruining the magic by melting into the floor as the corners of his lips lifted in response to her question.

"Who else would come to your match?" he asked her. "Or could you really mistake me for your Panda?" he added with amusement. One thick eyebrow rose fractionally as he looked her over. "That's an… interesting choice of clothing," he added nonchalantly. "I didn't think you'd ever want to go back to wearing uniforms again."

Xiaoyu felt the colour rush to her cheeks as she tried to register his words.  _ He's actually talking to me! He came to my match just to see me! _ She wanted to scream and run around the temple in joy, but some last vestige of common sense that had not yet fled from her brain held her in place. "I-I'm glad you're here," she managed to stutter, suddenly aware of the shortness of her skirt and glad that the temple was dark so he wouldn't see her embarrassment.

As if he could sense her discomfort, Jin spoke again. "I don't mean it in a bad way, Xiaoyu. You look good." He continued, oblivious to the look of bliss which crossed Xiaoyu's face as he spoke her name. "You always seemed like the sort of person who valued her freedom," he said softly. "Being forced to wear that uniform every day was like robbing a bird of its feathers."

"You think it makes me look like a plucked chicken?" Xiaoyu suddenly blurted out, then clapped her hands over her mouth in mortification. "I mean, sorry for interrupting!" she said, her face burning. "It's just that you never really talked to me before and I like the sound of your voice and all but I didn't really want to wear this today and I guess I don't mind if you think I look like a naked chicken but it really wasn't my decision because I lost this stupid bet and—" The sound of a soft chuckle ended her nervous babbling, and she felt an uneasy fluttering in her stomach of an entirely different sort than embarrassment as Jin answered.

"Shh," he said to her, his eyes dancing with mirth. "That's not what I meant." He paused, and an unusual note of hesitation filled his voice. "You always reminded me of a bird of paradise when we were in school," he explained haltingly. "So full of colour and energy and life. Being forced to conform with everyone else, wearing the same thing day in and out was like putting chains on, wasn't it? But things like that never seemed to bother you much," he continued, his eyes drifting away from Xiaoyu and losing their focus slightly. "You never stopped smiling, not once. Nothing ever seemed to bother you," he said distantly.

Xiaoyu smiled worriedly, the pleased glow at Jin's unusual compliment wearing off as she noticed his attention wandering down a darker, more personal path. She reached for his hand, smiling brightly and startling him out of his reverie. "Why don't we go into the light?" she whispered, taking a step towards the shrine entrance and pulling him after her.

"Into the light," Jin repeated slowly, his eyes regaining some of their focus. Noticing he was being led towards the door, he stopped and pulled back uncertainly. "I'm not sure this is a good idea," he told her.

"Don't be silly," Xiaoyu answered quickly, pulling him forward once more. "You have to come out sometime. Don't worry, I'll protect you!" she added brightly.

"You'll protect me?" Jin said, his lips twisting upwards slightly once more. They dropped into their usual serious frown as he paused again before the door. "Xiaoyu, I'm serious. You've seen… you know what I've become."

He closed his eyes as he spoke and swayed unsteadily, and Xiaoyu rushed to his side. It was meant to be more of a symbolic gesture of support than anything else, but she braced herself and managed to not topple over when she found herself unexpectedly supporting his weight. Another stab of concern filled her, and Xiaoyu wanted more than ever to push Jin outside, certain that the sunlight could burn away the darkness within him. "You're still fighting it," she managed to gasp, struggling towards the door. "I know you'll win against it. You're strong, and I'm here to help you, too," she added. Jin didn't respond, his breathing growing laboured and a sheen of sweat beading on his forehead. She almost cried with relief as they managed to pass through the doorframe and into the bright daylight, stopping and leaning against the building to catch her breath. "Come on, Jin, open your eyes. We made it!" she said, smiling and looking up at him. Her stomach fell as she noticed his eyes were already open, and not directed at her. He was looking across the courtyard, his face a brief mixture of surprise and displeasure before quickly falling under an expressionless mask. "Jin?" she asked nervously. "What's wrong?"

"What is he doing here?" Jin's voice was thick with tension and his eyes were dark and burning, focused entirely on Hwoarang. The Korean had yet to notice his audience, still sprawled carelessly over the temple courtyard and napping in the afternoon sun. The arm Jin had slung around her shoulder tightened almost painfully.

Xiaoyu sucked in her breath, sensing danger on the horizon. "It's not what you think," she said quickly. "He's the one I lost the bet to. That's why I'm wearing the uniform right now!"

"Why did you bring him?" Jin growled, pulling Xiaoyu closer. "I wanted to see you alone."

"Alone?" Xiaoyu choked out, momentarily forgetting the lancing pain that his fingers were causing in her arm. "You wanted to see me?" Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, and the world seemed to freeze around them.  _ Maybe… maybe I wasn't wrong after all. Maybe he does care about me too… _ "Just… me?" she asked breathlessly.

"Well shit…" Hwoarang's curse managed to rudely interrupt Xiaoyu's magic moment. They both turned, Xiaoyu with consternation and Jin with dull anger. Hwoarang raised himself up on his elbows and regarded the pair with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Is that you, Kazama?" he called out. "What the fuck happened to you, man? I've had to baby-sit your girlfriend for the last two days!"

Xiaoyu whimpered slightly, her arm screaming from Jin's painfully tight grasp. She didn't want to cry out, though, and set him off; already she could tell he was teetering on a fine edge of control over the dark possession. "Hwoarang, just shut up!" she yelled quickly. Turning to her companion, she twisted herself in front of him and looked into his eyes. "Jin, please, let go," she began gently, trying to extract herself from his grasp. "We need to talk…"

"No more talking!" Jin answered, pulling Xiaoyu in even closer and sending a baleful glare towards Hwoarang. "You came with him," Jin growled again, his eyes flickering with fitful bursts of red, eerily reminding her of Kazuya. He bent his head down and pressed his lips towards Xiaoyu's cheek, and she shivered involuntarily as they brushed against her ear. "You lied to me," he said, his voice soft and dangerous. "You said you cared about me, but look at you now." His voice rose as he released Xiaoyu's arm and twisted her around suddenly, locking his forearm around her throat. "Dressed like a whore, just another bitch in heat chasing after the first dog that looks her way," he growled.

Surprise flickered across his face, and then Hwoarang sprung to his feet quickly, all vestiges of humour dropping from his body. "Hey now," he began dangerously. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You heard me,  _ dog _ ," Jin answered, a full, cold smile stretching across his lips. It looked more as though he was baring his teeth than grinning, however.

Hwoarang's scowl deepened, but he slowed his approach to a cautious walk, lifting his hands up. "That's gotta be the first time I ever heard you answer like a man," he said. "Doesn't suit a pretty boy like you, Kazama. Why don't you let the girl go and we can  _ talk _ this out. Man to preppy," he taunted.

"How touching. Your boyfriend wants you back," Jin said, tightening his grip around Xiaoyu's neck as she struggled against him. "Should I let him have you? Will you run to him eagerly, abandoning me as everyone else has?" His voice turned ugly. "Would that give you pleasure, to see me suffer and know you were the cause?"

Xiaoyu choked, her eyes filling with tears even as she felt her body turn leaden. Jin's words were sharp and painful, cutting into her heart like a thousand knives. "No!" she cried out. "That's not true! Jin, please just listen to me-" her plea cut off into a loud squeak as he yanked her painfully against his own body.

"Let her go, asshole," Hwoarang growled, his scowl intensifying. "I ain't no dog, and you aren't Kazama. The lady doesn't want you. And you!" he added, directing the last comment at Xiaoyu. "What's the matter with you? Say something, for Christ's sake! Are you just gonna let him step all over you like that?"

Jin let out a short bark of laughter, still not releasing his iron grip around Xiaoyu's waist and throat. "The lady?" he said, his eyes boring into Hwoarang with dark hatred. "So you're her knight now? Funny, you don't seem the type." Xiaoyu let out a cry of dismay and renewed her struggle, and Jin smiled darkly. "Why don't we ask her?" he added, spinning Xiaoyu around and pulling her up painfully, his face inches away from her own. "So who do you prefer? You like to play with fire?" he asked, his breath hot against her cheek. His fingers dug into her chin and forcibly turned her head towards Hwoarang, who had fallen into his battle stance and was obviously waiting for an opening to strike. "Or perhaps you want us both," he breathed, forcing her face back towards his own, his eyes burning with both desire and hatred. "So the little girl wants to grab all of the candy in the store, doesn't she know too many sweets will rot her teeth?" he sang mockingly to her.

Xiaoyu froze in his grasp, filled with conflicting desires. The man holding her wore Jin's beautiful face, and her heart longed for it to be real. She was sure she had been speaking to the real Jin inside of the temple, just as she could have sworn that she had felt real emotion, real concern from him. The bold lust he displayed now, however, was a far cry from the feelings she felt from man she had spoken with inside of the shrine. She knew her Jin would never speak to her, or any woman, the way this Jin did; it was the Devil, wearing an angel's face. "You're not Jin," she said out loud, her voice wavering. But instead of struggling against his grasp, she leaned in and wrapped her free arm around him, hugging him tightly. "My Jin would know the truth," she continued softly as he tensed with surprise. "You remember the night you came back? I asked if you knew how I felt, if you'd trust me." Xiaoyu paused, sucking air into her lungs. "I wish I didn't need to tell you!" she yelled angrily into his ear. "But if you're going to be as stupid as Hwoarang, then I'll spell it out for you! I love you, Jin! I've always loved you, from the first moment I saw you! Even though you never paid any attention to me, even though everyone told me you were out of my league, I loved you anyway, and I followed you, and I thought about you constantly!" She took a shuddering breath as silence settled around the courtyard and Jin's painful grasp around her loosened.  _ Oh my God! I told him! _ she thought wildly. It felt as though her chest was a cage full of birds that had been ripped open, and now the panicked creatures were circling wildly in the sky, unable to comprehend freedom after having been held captive for so long. Xiaoyu did the only thing that she could to deal with the tense silence which stretched thinly into the air; she babbled.

"I kept hoping and wishing and praying that maybe one day, just one day, you'd notice me. You were different from the other Mishimas, you didn't treat me like an ant that needed to be squashed or a pet monkey! You always spoke to me like an adult. You were the only person to ever do that, Jin, only you, even though I was only sixteen! Don't you understand? You made me feel whole, like I was special, like I could really be somebody!" Her rant ended with a dry, hacking sob, and she barely managed to spit out the last words. "Until now," she choked out, feeling the tears leak out of her eyes. "Until just now," she whispered brokenly.

"Xiaoyu," he whispered softly, and she blinked away her tears shamefully and looked up. To her surprise, the angry grimace on Jin's face had faded, and his eyes were dark and soft, the familiar eyes of the person who met her inside of the temple, the boy she had fallen in love with. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he murmured, drawing her close and cupping her neck with the back of his hand. "I never meant to hurt you, believe me…" He drew her towards himself, bowing his head over her and cradling her in a gentle hug.

Xiaoyu stiffened with shock, and then melted into his arms, almost collapsing with relief.  _ I told him everything, and he didn't push me away, _ she though dazedly.  _ He loves me! He loves me too! _ With a jolt, she remembered how to operate her limbs, and eagerly lifted her arm around him to return his warm embrace.  _ Finally, I've waited so long for this, _ she thought, closing her eyes. "We'll find a way to cure you, Jin, I promise," she breathed, turning her face towards his neck.

"Cure me?" he said quietly, and Xiaoyu stilled, a feeling of coldness settling around her as she heard a popping sound. Hwoarang's sharp curse confirmed her suspicion, and dread filled her. "But it's so delicious, having you all to myself," Jin continued softly, pulling away slightly and grinning down at her, even as the horns sprouted from his head. "I don't ever want to let go of this feeling. Don't you feel the same way?" he quipped, his voice changed, and Xiaoyu let out a shrill scream. Dark feathers erupted around them, and the Devil's laughter echoed strangely through the air. He held on tightly to Xiaoyu, his clawed forearms digging into her skin and drawing out tiny welts of blood.

"Sick bastard," Hwoarang swore, charging forward impatiently.

Xiaoyu screamed when the redhead rushed them, then choked and saw stars as she felt herself being lifted. Dimly, she realized that Jin's wings were not just for show; he had launched himself into the air, flipping neatly over Hwoarang's attack and using the additional leverage of the beating appendages to carry her weight with him. The temple steps flashed before her eyes and then the world righted itself, and she found herself looking at Hwoarang's back from the center of the courtyard. Jin's clawed forearm was still wrapped around her tightly, pressing her against his body.

"Do you know why I never bothered responding to your insignificant presence?" Jin called out to Hwoarang, who had also spun around and was glaring at them. "Because you're like a mosquito, buzzing around pointlessly, unaware of anyone's existence but your own." He laughed as the Korean approached them once more.

"Mosquito, eh? Then why're you still hiding behind the girl?" Hwoarang answered, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Jin grinned, extending one clawed arm towards Hwoarang in a beckoning gesture, unconcerned. "Even mosquitoes can draw blood," he answered. "The fault lies in their greed. So busy gorging themselves on the blood of the left hand that they fail to see death approaching from the right hand." Roughly, he released Xiaoyu and threw her forward, sending her barrelling into Hwoarang with a scream. As they tumbled to the ground, the demon launched himself into the air once more, his massive wings beating and his laughter sounding throughout the courtyard.

Xiaoyu struggled to untangle herself from Hwoarang's long limbs and she heard him swear.

"Get off me!" the redhead yelled, his voice tight with stress and confusion. He did, however, help her to her feet as they both regained their balance and searched for the devil.

Xiaoyu sucked in her breath as she spun around wildly and saw Jin's shadow on the ground. "This can't be happening!" she cried out as she looked up and spotted him, hovering in midair, his head hanging backwards. The sun haloed his black wings, making him look like an unnatural eclipse in the mid-afternoon sky. More frightening, however, was the dark energy that swirled around him, collecting and making the air vibrate around his head. She could feel it more than see it, a build-up of a life force so foreign and unnatural that she was certain it would decimate anything it touched.  _ I'm fast enough, but Hwoarang! _ she thought, even as she dropped to avoid the incoming blow. There was no time to warn the redhead, so instead her leg shot out, catching the unsuspecting Korean in a floor sweep as Jin's head snapped forward. Time seemed to slow down as Xiaoyu stared up at the winged creature from the phoenix crouch she had automatically fallen into. His eyes were open, foreign and glowing, filled with an expression of uncontrolled rapture as black symbols wormed their way through his face, pooling together and blooming like a poisonous blossom across his forehead.  _ It's a third eye _ , she suddenly realized as the inky black symbols glowed and twisted.  _ The eye of the devil _ , she thought in a daze before the sound of Jinrei's voice thundered through her temples, strict and commanding.

_ Look away, fool child, look away before he takes your soul! _

Her eyes squeezed shut and she ducked her head down as the eye erupted with red light. Searing heat blasted over her, blistering the skin on her exposed neck, and the unpleasant smell of burned hair filled the air.

"What the fuck was that!" screamed Hwoarang furiously, who shot to his feet and wiped a few ashes away from his forehead. Xiaoyu thought crazily that she would have liked to rile the Korean over the black patches that now graced the tips of his spiked hairstyle, were she not extremely concerned about the state of her well-being at the present moment. Instead, she turned her attention back to Jin, who had landed before them and was swaying unsteadily, his head lowered. With shock, she realized he was trying to recover.  _ That energy blast must consume too much of his power! _ "Now's our chance!" she cried, preparing to leap forward and strike. And then Jin looked up.

The blast had drained him, and though his body was still malformed, Xiaoyu was sure she could see the real man fighting to come through the devil's possession. His eyes were tortured, begging her to strike.

"You're fast enough!" he gasped, taking an unsteady step towards Xiaoyu. "Kill me! Before it returns!" he choked out, reaching for Xiaoyu, who was frozen in place.

"I can't!" she screamed, stepping backwards as Jin's face crumbled with despair, even as the red glow began to surface in his eyes once more.

"You should've," Devil replied, still moving forward and reaching for her, his claws now threatening and deadly. "Rule number one of Mishima Karate. Never waste an opportunity when it presents itself," he laughed. Then he howled as he was batted away from his target by a powerful kick.

"Fuckin' right," Hwoarang answered, springing back and bouncing on his feet, his face tight and drawn. "I may not know what the hell's goin' on here, but you aren't getting away this time," he promised.

"So you'll kill me, then?" Jin said, his voice echoing strangely, sounding like a mix between a plea for help and a mocking challenge.

"I'm gonna rip you to pieces!" Hwoarang screamed, then growled in frustration as Xiaoyu held him back.

"Can't you see he's sick?" Xiaoyu said furiously, shoving Hwoarang backwards. "Don't fight him! That's what he wants! That's what's making the devil stronger!" She felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck as the devil's voice reached them.

"Yes," he hissed, his eyes burning with empty hatred. "Feed me your anger and your pain. Show me your suffering!" he roared, his head tilting backwards and the symbols worming their way through his face once more.

"Oh shit," Hwoarang yelled, diving for cover as Xiaoyu rolled in the opposite direction. The blast bisected the middle of the court and cut through the old shrine, lighting the wooden frame of the building as if it were a matchstick. They both scrabbled across the exposed courtyard, desperately trying to avoid Jin's haphazard attacks as he launched himself into the air once more, the destructive red blasts erupting from his forehead in fitful bursts.

"Fuck, not the bike!" Hwoarang managed to yell as a stray blast obliterated his beloved motorcycle in a huge ball of flame. "Now I'm really gonna kill you!" he called out to Jin as he stopped dodging and looked up into the sky.

Xiaoyu had also screamed and dropped to a ball, covering her ears as the motorcycle exploded, filling the air with sparks and the smell of gasoline. The burning fuel sent toxic black clouds billowing into the sky, blotting out the sunlight with unnatural darkness. Xiaoyu felt her eyes tear up with despair; that the courtyard of the beautiful old temple was being transformed in much the same way as her meeting with Jin; everything was going up in flames, the serenity of their surroundings burning to ashes all around them. But she came to realize more quickly than Hwoarang that Jin's attacks were more haphazard than planned.  _ He's trying to exhaust himself _ , she thought, peering up between her hands through the flames and into the darkened sky. Sure enough, he was still there, careening unsteadily through the air, his wings beating wildly. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him, though; the inky black colour of his feathers was bleeding out slowly, changing into the purest white she had ever seen. The transformation made him look like an angel, hovering through a burning wasteland; beautiful, but still as out of place as the black-winged devil had been in the afternoon sunlight. "Jin!" she cried out, standing up and waving at him.

His head snapped forward at her cry, his eyes still the same, unnatural glowing hue, only this time haunted by regret. "Xiaoyu," he called out, looking down at her, his voice twisted with pain. He jerked around, taking in his surroundings with confusion and horror, and an inhuman cry tore from his throat. With a powerful beat of his wings, he shot upwards, through the dark clouds and away from her sight.

_ He's not coming back _ , Xiaoyu realized, falling to her knees in despair. White feathers drifted through the smoke, quickly turning grey in the ashy air and mixing with their black counterparts. Quickly, before they could all be burned or sullied by the dirty smoke, she snatched one out of the sky and crushed it between her fingers, tears sliding down from her eyes.  _ It's not fair… I find out that maybe, somehow, he cares, and then he's taken away from me like this! _ A sob welled up in her throat, and she doubled over, crushing the feather against her chest as if she could bring Jin back with it. She continued to bawl, doubled over, until the raw air scratched at her throat, reminding her of the danger all around. Xiaoyu sniffed and wiped at her eyes, which were growing irritated from the smoke, and blinked as she saw a pair of booted feet standing before her. "Hwoarang?" she managed to croak, blinking again as the feet didn't move. Huh _? Why isn't he saying anything? Is he hurt? _ Suddenly concerned, she sat upright and looked upwards at the tall Korean. To her surprise, he wasn't injured. He was simply standing over her, his arms crossed. There was no mocking smile on his face, and he wasn't focusing his intense glare on her, although she could tell he was angry. Seeing that he wasn't moving, she wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Hwoarang? What's wrong?" she began timidly.

"You knew about this? About him?" he said, his face unreadable.

Feeling miserable, Xiaoyu looked down at the crushed white feather between her palms and nodded slightly.

"You're pathetic," he said.

Xiaoyu's eyes grew wide, and her back straightened stiffly. Her hand was beginning to crush the feather beyond recognition, and with effort, she forced her fingers to loosen and slowly smooth out the ridges she had mashed into it. "What?" she whispered, so quietly that she was sure the crackling of the flames around them had swallowed her words.

"You heard me," Hwoarang replied, his tone brittle. "So you like him. I get it, alright? I won't take it personal if you want me to back off." He turned his head and spit to the side, and Xiaoyu winced at the obscene gesture. "But this you, this ain't the girl I know. Crawling on the ground and snivelling, letting that bastard talk any shit he wants about you and not saying a thing." He uncrossed his arms and stepped back away from her. "If it's gonna be like that, then you two deserve each other." His mouth formed into a tight line and he turned his back on her, striding away swiftly towards the fallen gate of the temple courtyard.

Xiaoyu hiccupped, the shock of his words and actions still sinking in. "Wait!" she cried out, looking up. "What about my match?" she cried out. Hwoarang paused, and she continued, encouraged. "I can't fight like this," she choked, her voice still thick with tears. "Just stay… I need someone to stay right now." She looked at him, clutching the feather to her chest, her stomach knotting uncomfortably as silence settled between them and he considered her request. Finally, she couldn't take the tense stillness between them anymore and broke it, her voice loud and pleading. "Please understand, Hwoarang!"

Hwoarang turned slightly, and the look in his eyes shamed her. It was a look of pure disgust. "Fight your own battles from now on," he growled and stalked off, leaving Xiaoyu alone in the midst of the burning temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: You might have noticed that I like trying to explain nonsensical things in the game during the course of the story. This was my attempt at figuring out that burning temple background, heh. I also sensed some of you would have been calling for blood if Jin hadn't made an appearance by now. Fortunately for me he decided to stop by and grace us with his presence, what with him being a main character and all. Unfortunately, he killed Steve on the way. I guess Steve will still be making a cameo or two, but during the course of writing this, I've figured out that Steve's story doesn't coincide with Xiaoyu's very nicely. There's just no way to jump from cute Chinese girl to tortured British boxer very smoothly, not unless you throw David Bowie in there somewhere. Finally, Hwoarang fans, don't despair, his story isn't over yet either. Please leave a review if you read! And to reviewers, you know I'm eternally grateful, thank you so much.


	11. 10: Dragon Fall

_ Get up, Xiaoyu! _

"I don't want to," she replied softly, squeezing her eyes shut.

_ My dear child, you must stand up if you want to continue our lessons. _

Xiaoyu shook her head slightly, brushing the feather lightly against her cheek. Anger and indignation welled up in her chest, and she felt tears pooling under her closed eyelids. "I never wanted to become a fighter, grandpa!" she said, shaking her head. "I never wanted those stupid lessons and I never wanted to go to Japan and I never wanted to end up taking part in the Tournament and meeting  _ him _ ," she cried. Faded memories mixed with the thick smoke in the courtyard, prodding her relentlessly. She could almost hear the irritation in Jinrei's voice as he scolded her.

_ Ai-yaah, you're so immature! Sometimes I wonder how we can come from the same family. Now stop sulking and stand up! _

"No," Xiaoyu mumbled, curling herself into a small ball as tightly as she could.

"Get up," rumbled a deep voice from overhead.

_ Wait a second, that's not my imagination… _ Xiaoyu's eyes shot open and she coughed weakly, trying to expel some of the toxic smoke from her lungs. Hazily, she saw a bulky figure towering over her. She blinked away the fuzziness and focused on the muscle-bound figure that was looking down at her with barely masked disdain. "Who are you?" she said cautiously, sitting upright. Shock registered as she took in the man's features; his long, black hair was pulled back into a braided queue. His pants were woven from fine, loose silk in a very familiar, traditional style, and his face was drawn and pinched, like roughly hewn rock. He looked unperturbed by the surrounding massive destruction, not even blinking as a piece of wood cracked and fell noisily in the temple behind them. Fuzzily, Xiaoyu focused on the first clear thought that registered in her mind. "You're Chinese too!" she blurted out in surprise.

"You are Morning Rain," he said to her, his question sounding more like a statement. He gave no sign of disapproval as he took in Xiaoyu's dishevelled appearance, but added one last monotonous syllable. "Weak," he stated, translating her surname in a tone that sounded very much like an insult.

Xiaoyu sprung to her feet, scowling at the large man. "You must be Feng Wei, then," she answered. "And Ling means  _ delicate _ , not  _ weak _ ! You know, like a flower!" The chastisement seemed lost on the larger man, who simply ignored her and stood patiently, waiting for her to prepare for the tournament battle. Xiaoyu coughed once more and directed a glance at the burning temple behind them. "Doesn't this bother you at all?" she asked incredulously, covering her mouth.

Feng ignored her, simply staring at her with the same hard expression that had graced his face since she first opened her eyes. His eyes were unusually light for an Asian, contrasting sharply with his bushy, dark eyebrows. Coupled with his serious expression, it gave him a striking appearance, like a fierce dragon descended from the heavens to stalk his prey. It was not only his features that made Xiaoyu uncomfortable, however; Feng carried himself with a frightening air of discipline and control.  _ He could win his bouts through intimidation alone _ , she thought nervously. "Hey, don't you talk?" she asked him, trying to break the tension as she carefully tucked the white feather away in her vest pocket.

Blinking once, Feng regarded her passively before speaking. "Fight me," he said to her.

As if to coincide with his statement, static crackled over the courtyard. The tone was weak and very difficult to hear, probably due to the damage being caused by the unexpected heat and flames in the area.  _ The show must go on _ , Xiaoyu thought sourly as the announcer still managed to make the muffled broadcast. "Match thirteen, Feng Wei versus Ling Xiaoyu. Fighters, take your positions."

As if on cue, Feng bent his knees slightly, dropping to his battle stance and raising his arms. Xiaoyu felt a cold chill run down her back as she recognized the form.  _ Shit, he's a Kenpo master. It's going to be like fighting a mirror! _ "What style do you use?" she asked lightly, pretending to stretch in an attempt to buy herself some time before the bout would begin.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Feng answered her briefly. "Shaolin Kenpo." His answer was curt and Xiaoyu had the impression that he wasn't fooled by her attempted diversion. "Tell me your style."

"Oh, just some Hike Ken and a little other stuff," Xiaoyu answered breathlessly, hoping against hope that perhaps the monk wasn't as knowledgeable about martial arts as he appeared to be. Disappointment rose in her chest as she saw for the first time a hint of approval cross Feng Wei's rigid countenance.

"Pi Qua Quan, the Northern Shaolin Kung Fu style," he translated smoothly. "Very difficult for one such as yourself. I have also studied its forms." With that, all semblance of interest dropped from his face once more and he continued his patient wait, rocking slightly on his feet.

_ Nothing riles this guy, _ Xiaoyu thought nervously, finally opting to sink into her own fighting stance. She felt woefully unprepared for the battle, and a sense of doom tugged at her stomach as a bell tolled, signalling the start of the fight. They were almost the same height, so Xiaoyu guessed that Feng's reach couldn't be very different from her own. Still, she edged away from him cautiously, hoping to place herself out of range.

And then, with the blink of an eye, Feng was in motion. Xiaoyu squeaked in surprise at the burst of speed the muscular man produced as he sprung forward, bellowing curtly as leapt into the air. He twisted through the air, swinging his right leg around in a roundhouse kick that would have connected with her head had she not ducked in time. Her quick drop only provided temporary shelter for Xiaoyu, though, as Feng's leap transitioned smoothly into a graceful duck of his own. His left leg swept the ground, knocking her off balance and sending her tumbling to the ground.

Danger alarms jangled noisily through Xiaoyu's head as she rolled quickly to her feet, cursing silently. "That's one of my favourite moves," she muttered, regaining her balance and dropping into her stance once more.  _ I can't stay on the defensive in this fight, or he'll win for sure! _ Despite her misgivings, she surged forward to launch her own attack. She swung her left leg around, attempting to bring her heel down in a solid blow against Feng's exposed chest. Again, he surprised her as he lifted his elbow and sidestepped, deflecting her blow gracefully.

They backed away from each other quickly and paused, each taking in the other's surprising speed and skill. Feng spoke first, studying his younger opponent. "Who was your master?" he asked quietly.

Xiaoyu kept her hands poised before her, not willing to let her guard down despite the quick respite he offered with the question. "I trained with my grandfather," she replied cautiously. "Why do you want to know?"

"Brave, fierce, sudden, quick, violent and sharp," he answered. "You understand the principles of Xing Yi Quan."

Again, a sense of danger filled Xiaoyu, along with a sharp lance of fear. This time, however, it was not for herself. There was something odd in the tone of Feng Wei's voice as he recited the basic concepts of Jinrei's fighting style. The massive Chinese man fell silent and studied her coldly with his odd, lightened eyes. It struck her like whiplash, at once. "You've killed before," she said out loud, faltering slightly. "You've killed innocent people before, just to master these styles?" Feng's cold silence stretched between them, answering her question. Xiaoyu felt her breath come in short pants. "Did you ki- did you  _ fight _ my grandfather in China?"  _ Grandpa could handle this guy, _ she thought to herself as she broke out into a cold sweat.  _  But then why would he be here right now, in the Tournament, if Jinrei was okay? _ She tried to ignore the knotting fear in her stomach and repeated her question loudly, with an air of bravado. "I asked you if you've ever fought Wang Jinrei."

Feng's eyes narrowed, and his body tensed. "No master of Xing Yi lives today in China."

Xiaoyu swallowed loudly. "What kind of an answer is that?" she squeaked, trying to squash her fears. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to come up with justifications for Feng's obtuse answer.  _ Maybe he's just travelling? Maybe he decided to finally take that vacation he was always talking about. Maybe everyone's forgotten about him already! _ Suddenly all Xiaoyu wanted to do was race away from the burning temple to the nearest phone and call her aging grandfather, to hear his frail voice and know he was well. The panic and doubt swirling around her mind came at the cost of her concentration, and it was a fatal mistake. She barely registered Feng's next attack, feeling only the pain explode as it connected.  _ Not my stomach again! _ she thought feebly as she felt herself being lifted into the air.

Feng had latched on to her arms in her moment of distraction and tossed her over his head easily, the powerful muscles on his bare arms bulging. Xiaoyu thought at first that he was just going to drop her painfully, but as she fell, his fists struck out with lightning speed, slamming into her gut repeatedly and keeping her airborne. She fell towards the ground like a limp rag doll, but it wasn't enough; Feng ensured her defeat by lifting his foot rapidly and tracking her fall, brutally stomping on her stomach for good measure. The wind was knocked from her lungs, and Xiaoyu couldn't move, simply watch as Feng lifted his foot and then brought it down onto her once more, twisting his heel painfully into her side.  _ My ribs, _ she moaned in agony, certain that she could feel them snapping under the crush of his massive weight. She wheezed in relief as the pressure left her side, and dimly registered the ring of the tournament bell.

"Feng Wei wins," the announcer voiced. Rolling, Xiaoyu doubled over and tried to quell the intense pain that flared up in her side from the motion. She gasped and panted desperately, trying to suck air back into her lungs, which felt as though they had been flattened completely. From the corner of her eye, she could see the large monk sinking back into his battle position, a look of satisfaction crossing his face as he waited for the next round to begin.

_ Get up, get up, my child, the lesson must continue! _ Jinrei's voice rang merrily through her head, filled with twisted mirth.

"This… isn't… a lesson," she gasped, trying to rise to her feet and falling back to her knees. Xiaoyu gave up, resting on her heels to try and catch her breath, and heard Feng Wei grunt in disapproval. Then, to her horror, she heard the bell chime again, and the announcer's voice echo through the courtyard.

"Ling Xiaoyu forfeits the second round by—"

Xiaoyu rolled to her feet faster than she had ever moved before, before the announcement could even be completed. Sucking in her breath, she yelled aimlessly in the direction of the temple, unsure of where the speakers had been hidden this time. "It's not over yet!" The pain from the unexpected movement and shout was excruciating, but she fell back into her crouch, one arm cradling her bruised ribs and the other held out weakly in a shaky semblance of her usual guard. Black spots circled before her eyes, but Xiaoyu gritted her teeth and blinked them away resolutely. "This is nothing compared to losing Jin," she mumbled under her breath. "I won't let you down, grandpa."

The announcer's voice was heard overhead after a moment of silence. "Round two. Fight!"

Xiaoyu was too weary to even cheer with relief at the second chance, but leapt backwards as Feng took two large steps towards her, moving smoothly through his set to close the distance between them. Instead of attacking, however, he paused and regarded her before speaking. "I believe I was mistaken."

"Mistaken?" Xiaoyu grit out, removing her supporting hand from her ribs, which protested loudly, and forcing herself into a proper guard.

"You could not have trained under the renowned Master Wang of the Xing Yi Quan. You are not skilled enough." He crossed his palms together, smoothly bringing himself nose-to-nose with Xiaoyu before stepping back, clearly demonstrating her inability to block his blow had he chosen to strike in that moment. "You are not a challenge. I do not wish to waste my time."

_ Huh _ , Xiaoyu thought as she narrowed her eyes at Feng Wei.  _ Is he giving me a chance to back out? _ "Why?" she asked him.

"There is no prestige in defeating a helpless child," he answered, his face an unmoving mask of rock. To Xiaoyu, however, hearing those words made him seem more cruel and unforgiving than ever before.

"Don't call me a child!" she snarled, more than just the physical pain bringing tears to the corners of her eyes once more. As she spoke, she jumped forward, hitting Feng with her Nut Cracker move. It was a quick and dirty low kick she had picked up from watching street fighting in China, and one Jinrei had never approved of. It worked, however; the speed, surprise and complete lack of form acted to her advantage, allowing the light hit to land and break through Feng's guard unexpectedly. Being already much too close for her comfort to the hulking monk anyway, Xiaoyu quickly decided on a risky attack. She opened her right palm and thrust upwards, smacking his chin with a crude uppercut. Ignoring the screaming fire that blossomed in her side from the motion, she brought her hands forward as she twisted down into a crouch, hitting the monk twice more with her closed fists. She finished the combination by resting her weight on her palm and sweeping the floor twice with her leg, knocking Feng to the ground in two quick blows. It was all she could manage, however, and she had to back off, unable to continue her assault as the muscles against her stomach gave a spasm of protest to her movement.

To Xiaoyu's dismay, it was also not enough to keep the large man down, or cause the bout to be called. He rose to his feet slowly and settled into his guard position, a wary look on his face, and then struck like a snake. Feng Wei was most definitely not amused by Xiaoyu's sudden attack, and in retaliation, he aimed his next strike directly at her injured side. Unable to block the sudden hit, Xiaoyu screamed in pain as his fist connected with the bruised ribs. One punch was followed by another, and then another and she thought she might pass out with the pain. The bitter taste of blood filled her mouth, but she refused to give in to the darkness, and in a brief moment of clarity between punches, she saw Feng aiming low for his next strike.

_ "There is always a chance," Jinrei told a young Xiaoyu as she lay panting on the ground, tears of pain leaking out of her eyes. He offered her a compassionate grin and held out his hand, gently helping his granddaughter to her feet. "When you are pressed by a hopeless assault, you must learn to see more than just an attack." _

_ "But it hurts," Xiaoyu said, doubling over and holding her stomach. "You're so mean, Grandpa!" she cried out. "It's not fair, you're better than me!" _

_ Jinrei shook his head slowly, carefully guiding Xiaoyu's arms back into the proper form. "Life is not fair, Xiaoyu. Now now, my dear girl, it's only a matter of time before you understand the principles of Xing Yi. Every attack directed towards you is an opportunity. Do not just defend, strike back! Use the art of surprise and awareness, seize the moment and strike when it is least expected." _

_ You're wrong, Grandpa, _ Xiaoyu thought, forcing herself to ignore the burning in her side.  _ I never mastered the forms of the Xing Yi. _ Feng Wei obviously understood the teachings about form and position much more intuitively than she ever had. But she had understood at least one message Jinrei had tried so desperately to impart to her during their training together.  _ I want to win! _

She fell to her phoenix crouch in time to Feng's own dip, able to see the surprise register in his clear eyes as she continued her fall backwards and smoothly avoided the low blow. More than just dodging, however, she dropped her right arm to the ground and threw her weight onto it, shooting her legs upwards in a desperate one-two kick to stop Feng's relentless assault. It was an attack she had never attempted before, one she made up more out of desperation than anything else, but it worked better than she could have dreamed. Her feet slammed into Feng's unprotected chin explosively, not only breaking the flow of his attack but literally lifting him high enough into the air to crash into the ground a good few feet away. Xiaoyu rolled to her knees, panting and scrubbing desperately at her face to clear her eyes of the sweat and grime before he could recover and attack again. She almost cried with relief as the bell chimed instead, signalling the end of the second bout.

The announcer's voice sounded mildly surprised as the result was called. "Ling Xiaoyu wins. Fighters, take your positions."

Feng Wei looked only mildly scuffled by the encounter, but also seriously annoyed. Xiaoyu slowly approached him and fell into her guard, nervous and exhausted.  _ How am I going to beat him? I can't throw anymore, even jumping hurts and he's so good… _ She was tired, and when the fight bell chimed, once again she was caught unprepared by Feng's charge. This time his right fist struck her over the head, and stars danced across her vision. He swooped forward with a large step, and then his left foot crashed into her shins, causing Xiaoyu to stumble forward. She didn't even see his other foot rising until it connected with her chest during her fall, changing her momentum and throwing her backwards. He ensured that she hit the ground soundly with his balled right fist, ramming it brutally into her temples once more.

_ Not good _ , she managed to think as she rose unsteadily to her feet despite the protest of her aching body. A faint gust of air washed over her and she looked up to see Feng spinning his upper torso around, building up his energy like a human tornado. Detachedly, she recognized the form and thought it was rather impressive that the large man managed to pull it off so smoothly.  _ That's right, there was more to it than just being pretty _ , Xiaoyu remembered a moment too late as he unfurled his arms, striking her rapidly. She managed to raise her arms quickly enough to block a few of the devastating blows, but the force of the hit alone sank her to her knees.  _ I'm going to lose _ , she thought, looking dazedly through her bangs at the man towering over her. Wobbling to her feet, she watched as Feng smoothly moved through another fluid set to end with his back facing her.  _ And now he's going to hit me with his elbow and finish me off. I call that the Falcon's Beak, I wonder what he calls it. _

Something niggled at her mind as he lunged towards her, something important. A flash of white caught her eye; it was one of Jin's feathers, still pure and white despite the ash and smoke in the air, probably the one that she had tucked away in her pocket, jarred loose by the brutal beating she was receiving during the course of the match. And she remembered what Jin had asked Hwoarang as they fought, his voice tortured, his face begging for release.

_ "So you'll kill me, then?" _

"I won't lose," she cried, her attention snapping forward as she leapt forward and dive-rolled away from Feng's thrusting elbow strike.  _ If I lose, Jin dies. I can't lose! I won't! _ Feng had not been expecting her quick dodge, and his head whipped around to follow her, his long queue snapping through the air.

"That's it!" she said, even as her body reacted, rushing forward for her attack.  _ He's in my Rain Dance! He won't be able to block anything! _ Heedless of the pain or the danger, she threw herself violently into a frontal flip, reaching out with heel. The spinning kick connected with Feng's head, sending him reeling backwards. Xiaoyu didn't waste a moment, reaching out with both arms for a bayonet strike that stunned him momentarily. Smoothly, she lifted her hands overhead and brought them down with a ferocious chop on his temples. She used the downward momentum of the strike, leaning away from Feng and reaching out blindly with her leg backwards, satisfied when she felt it connect solidly. Unwilling to give him the chance to strike back, she dropped to the ground and swept the floor with her extended leg, throwing him off balance.

The pain lancing through her body grew with each blow she landed, but Xiaoyu knew she couldn't stop. To stop was to ensure loss.  _ I have to keep going! _ she thought as she grit her teeth, accidentally biting on her tongue. The coppery tang of blood filled her mouth, and sweat and smoke fogged her vision. I can't see him anymore! she thought with panic.

_ "Carry your set through to its conclusion," _ she remembered Jinrei instructing her.  _ "Your physical senses may fail you, but if you focus your mind, your body will know where to strike." _

Entrusting herself to her memory, she continued her attack, crouching blindly into her phoenix stance and springing upwards with explosive force in a crane kick. Again, she felt the pressure of the hit as it connected with something, and with a last gasp, spread her arms wide and smashed her left palm out with all of the force she could muster. There was a grunt, and the sound of a body hitting the ground a few feet ahead of her. She threw herself into a forward roll and smashed her heel down, feeling it connect with a mass of hard muscle with a final loud cry, her eyes blind, her lungs burning for air and her body screaming in pain. "I can't," she sobbed out, gasping as she pitched forward, her arm cupping her side painfully. "I can't do it anymore!"

There was a silence in the air, filled only by the sound of the crackling flames of the nearby shrine. Xiaoyu panted and blinked anxiously, trying to clear her vision and waiting for Feng's next attack to ravage her, knowing she couldn't block it.

Instead, there was only a chime. It was weaker than ever, and sputtered out with a loud burst as another section of the temple collapsed. But not before she heard the sound of the announcer's voice, pouring like sweet water over her body.

"Ling Xiaoyu wins."

"I did it," she mumbled feebly, a smile forcing its way across her cracked lips. She blinked again, and saw a blob of white fluttering before her nose. Grabbing it, she drew it to her face and cradled it in her palm, tears of relief springing in her eyes. Blinking them away, she focused beyond the feather and saw Feng Wei slowly rise and approach her. He stopped at her feet, his clear eyes filled with mute shock. Xiaoyu managed to pull herself upright to her knees to meet him, but she couldn't muster enough energy to rise fully to her feet.

"How did you defeat me?" he asked incredulously, his hands curling into fists at his side. "My technique is obviously better than yours. I have trained for longer, defeated many masters all across China, and even those who have stood before me in this tournament. How is it that one little girl with almost no training has managed to defeat this Feng Wei?"

Xiaoyu dropped her head, hearing the pain and anger cracking the stoic man's voice. He scared her, and she didn't understand him or his motivations, but somehow, she recognized the great pride he was sacrificing to ask her a question to which she could find no reasonable answer. She closed her eyes and thought silently for a moment.  _ He studied Chinese Kenpo, didn't he? _ Opening them again, she looked up at him, meeting his clear eyes, and answered in their native tongue.

"But should I be forced to defend myself, my principles or my honour; should it be a matter of life or death, of right or wrong; then here are my weapons," she said quietly, lifting her hands and opening them towards him. The feather stirred slightly in one palm, and she clutched it to her chest tightly before it could fly away.

The monk paused in contemplation, and then nodded as he accepted her poorly-phrased recital of the ancient Kenpo creed. It was the last thing Xiaoyu remembered seeing as darkness flitted across her vision and she fell over, too exhausted to remain conscious any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Please, please don't crucify me for all of the artistic liberties I take with martial arts and their philosophies in this chapter. While based loosely in some real world fact, I myself am not a martial artist. I claim no actual knowledge of these arts besides what I have read, and sincerely apologize if my use of them for dramatic intensity in the story offends any true practitioners. Also, Chinese names have literally a ton of meanings associated with them. "Ling" is just a surname, but I've seen it listed with meanings as varied as "little" "weak" "tinkling" and "jade." I chose to use the meaning "weak" in this story for a reason, though "jade" is probably the most common translation (which is funny, because as a stone, jade is actually stronger than steel).


	12. 11: Human Hurdle

Darkness. Soft, warm and comfortable. Xiaoyu let a tiny sigh of contentment escape from her lips as she snuggled more deeply into her pillows.  _ Feels so good, _ she thought hazily.  _ Just let me sleep five more minutes... _ A low hum tickled at her ears, but she ignored it, trying to will herself to sink back into the darkness.

The inconsiderate buzzing grew louder, bringing with it other unwelcome guests, such as light and sensation. Still trying to avoid the inevitable task of waking up, Xiaoyu screwed her eyes shut tightly and grabbed onto her pillow. It was no use; consciousness would not leave her alone. As a final gift, it brought to her memory, and her eyes shot open as she remembered her bout with Feng Wei.

"I won!" she exclaimed, then winced, surprised at the roughness of her voice and the sore throat she was sporting. She blinked and squinted as a light laugh greeted her, and turned her head towards the blob hovering next to her face. After a moment of staring, it came into focus, and she found herself looking into a pair of warm brown eyes.

"Yes, you did," Julia answered, easing Xiaoyu up into a sitting position and tucking a few pillows behind her back. "Don't try to move too much yet, you broke two ribs," she said gently.

Xiaoyu flapped her hands towards her throat with wide eyes, and Julia nodded, handing her a small glass of water. After gulping it down hastily, she swallowed thickly and took in her surroundings. "Is this the hospital?" she asked after a moment. "How'd I get here?"

Julia smiled, retrieving the glass and setting it down on the nightstand next to the bed. "Well, technically, you could say I carried you here over my shoulder. I'm sorry if I bruised your ribs a little more than they already were, but it was the only way to get you out of that forest. I can't believe Hwoarang left you alone up there!" Standing, she motioned for Xiaoyu to stay put as she made her way towards the door. "Hang on a second, there's someone who wants to see you. She leaned out of the room and nodded, and there was an excited yell as she drew back and Asuka stormed into the room.

"Xiaoyu! You're finally awake, that's so great! You were starting to get us all worried, you know," she said, her lips twisting upwards into a wild grin.

"Asuka?" Xiaoyu repeated, surprised to see the younger girl. "How'd you know I was here?"

Asuka laughed and pumped her arm into the air energetically. "Everybody knows you're here. That fight was spectacular, it got the highest ratings on the network so far! You should've seen the media feeding frenzy, they were calling it  _ The Clash of the Chinese Champions! _ "

Xiaoyu's mouth dropped open. "What? I'm a Chinese champion now? You're kidding." She slapped her forehead and dropped her head forward with a groan. "You mean I finally have a match good enough to transform me into a Tekken celebrity, and I slept through the whole thing? Ohhhh!" she cried out.

"You didn't sleep through it," Julia interrupted mildly. "You were unconscious for almost a whole day. The injuries from the fight combined with all that smoke inhalation could have killed you." Her tone was chastising, but Xiaoyu ignored the other girl. Everyone who entered the competition knew that it could be dangerous, even deadly at times.

"No risk, no fun," she said with a wince as her fingers probed the bandages at her side. That made her think of Hwoarang, and she glanced over at Julia curiously. "Has anyone else been here to see me?" She tried to ignore the small pang of disappointment as the older girl shook her head.  _ So one else came, not even Heihachi or Miharu. _ That sent another small wave of discouragement through her.  _ Well, at least I won the match on my own. _ A small gasp escaped her as another thought passed through Xiaoyu's mind. "What about Feng Wei? Did he make it out okay?"

Asuka clucked her tongue, flopping into one of the hospital chairs against the wall and lazily slinging a leg over the armrest. "That jerk just left you there passed out on the ground. He didn't tell anyone you were hurt, either!" she growled, clenching her hand into a fist. "I'm glad you beat the crap out of him this time, but one day I'll personally find him and make him pay for everything," she swore, her eyes narrowing as she stared blankly into the whitewashed ceiling.

"Whoa," Xiaoyu said, feeling waves of anger rolling off of the young girl. Asuka's cheerful nature was offset by her sporadically violent attitude; it was like the girl had split personalities at times. "Why are you so upset about it?" she asked.

Asuka's eyes focused on Xiaoyu once more, and she laughed loudly. "Oh, it's something personal," she explained. "Maybe I'll tell you someday."

"Anyway," Julia said, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms, "It's lucky I came up there to look for you after you missed our meeting. Those Tournament officials really let things get out of hand just for the sake of a few pyrotechnics!" Her mouth drew into a thin line, the disapproving scowl marring her otherwise beautiful features. "Not only endangering the lives of the competitors, but also burning down that beautiful old temple and the surrounding trees!"

Xiaoyu looked down at her hands, picking nervously at a thread on the edge of her blanket. "Well, see, the fire wasn't really planned for that match," she began. The colour drained out of her face as she noticed her hands were empty. "Oh no! I lost it!" she cried, her hands darting to her chest to be met only by the thin, crumpled paper of the hospital robe. "Where's my vest?" she yelled, before breaking down into a few hacking coughs from the sudden shout.

Julia smiled at Xiaoyu, pushing herself off of the wall. "Relax. Were you looking for this?" she asked, drawing a small silver chain from her pocket and dangling it before Xiaoyu. Attached to the end was the white feather, almost luminescent in the fluorescent light. The shaft of the feather had been carefully fastened with metal wire onto a delicate silver mount, and Xiaoyu let out a small coo as she reached for the necklace and studied the adornment intently.

"Wow, it's beautiful," she breathed, holding the lengthy silver chain up and letting the feather twist slowly in midair. "Did you make this yourself?"

Julia nodded, smiling as she pulled another chair close to the bed and sat onto it. "I had a little extra time while I was waiting for you to come to. They practically had to pry this thing out of your hand, so I thought it might be important."

"Say, that's a pretty nice feather," Asuka said, blinking and jumping out of her chair, leaning onto the bed to get a closer look. Xiaoyu gave a little yelp as the other girl placed her hand carelessly on one of the many black and blue spots on her leg, and Julia shot the Japanese girl a warning look. Asuka grinned apologetically and backed away before turning her attention back to the spinning necklace. "I've never seen any feather that white before," she noted, planting a hand on her hip. "There's something funny about it…" she mused, leaning in for a closer look.

Xiaoyu gulped and quickly looped the long silver chain around her neck, dropping the feather down her shirt and away from Asuka's prying eyes. "It's just something I found lying around," she fenced, smiling brightly. "I thought it looked neat so I picked it up, that's all."

Julia's eyebrows drew together speculatively, but Asuka grinned and shrugged carelessly. "Whatever you say," the younger girl said with a smile. She spared a quick glance at her watch and her eyes bulged. "Oh, shoot, I've gotta run. My next match is coming up soon!" Her eyes sparkled and an eager grin graced her face as she clapped her fist in her palm a few times. "Maybe I'll have a battle as cool as yours and get on TV too, huh?" she said to Xiaoyu.

"As long as you don't end up in a hospital," Julia answered with a small smile. "I'm getting tired of accompanying people here."

Asuka barked out a loud laugh and nodded wildly. "Alright, I promise not to send whoever I fight next to the hospital. See you guys later!" With a quick wave, she sprinted out the door.

Xiaoyu smiled and leaned back into her pillow. "She's really nice," she said. "We're not even that close, and she still came to visit me."

Julia gave a soft hum of agreement and carefully shut the door to the room. "Yes, she's a little bit immature, but she has a good heart and she's a strong fighter."

"A strong fighter?" Xiaoyu said curiously, and Julia fixed her with a wry smile.

"A very strong fighter. She beat me, after all."

This made Xiaoyu shoot up in her bed and then moan as she collapsed back onto the pillows, holding her side. "What? What do you mean she beat you?"

"I told you, you've been out for an entire day. I already took part in my scheduled tournament battle with Asuka. It wasn't quite as exciting as yours, but it was still a good workout."

Xiaoyu stared at Julia in shock. "I missed that too! That's so unfair," she said, pouting. "You really lost to her? How come, you're so strong! And why aren't you upset?"

Julia approached the bedside and settled in the chair next to Xiaoyu. "Feng Wei was strong too, but you won against him. It's not always about strength." She sighed and smoothed her braids back. "Besides, with you helping me, I don't need to take part in the Tournament to get my data back. I don't really mind, either. Personally I find these competitions to be senseless and entirely too brutal."

Xiaoyu nodded slightly, still somewhat disappointed that she had missed one of Julia's matches. "At least we won't have to fight each other. I'm surprised at you, though. You're so put together! I don't understand how someone like Asuka could beat you."

A slight smile passed across Julia's face. "That girl harbours great spiritual power. Temperamental as she might be, her heart is pure. It gives her a great strength which I think even she doesn't fully realize that she has. If you have to face her in the Tournament later on, you're going to be hard pressed to beat her." She took a closer look at Xiaoyu's drawn face and frowned. "You know, your own spirit seems disturbed at the moment." She waited, and when Xiaoyu didn't respond, she fixed the younger girl with a critical stare. "So what's the real story behind that feather, and where did that idiot Hwoarang run off to?" she asked bluntly.

Xiaoyu slowly pulled the necklace out and regarded the pure white feather. The silver chain was thin and delicate, and the feather as light as before, but somehow it still felt like iron shackles dragging a heavy boulder around her neck.  _ It would be good to get all this off my chest, but can I trust her? _ Thinking about how Hwoarang had discovered Jin's "little secret" and what it had cost her made the decision easier. "It's a long story, so you'd better make yourself comfortable," she warned the older girl wearily.

**\- x – x – x -**

Some time, one failed hospital tray and one smuggled pizza later, Xiaoyu finally finished relating the story of Jin's disappearance, her participation in the fourth tournament, the Mishima family curse and her encounters with Raven, Jin and Hwoarang to Julia.

"… and that's about it," she said, reaching for another slice of pizza and taking a huge bite out of it.

Julia hummed, resting her chin on her palm and staring out of the hospital window thoughtfully. "I always knew there was a dark secret in the Mishima family," she confided. "I know the G-Corp isn't much better, but at least they've been honest in their dealings with me so far. Still, something as serious as a demonic curse?" She shook her head slowly. "And you're certain Raven wasn't lying?"

Xiaoyu nodded, chewing her pizza and reaching for the bottle of cola. "Well, I saw Jin with my own eyes afterwards," she explained after swallowing. "I don't think he could have been the one organizing the tournament anyway." Thinking about her encounter with Jin made her appetite fade, and she flung the half-eaten slice back into the box, where it landed with a wet slap. "I really thought I could save him, but all I did was set the Devil free," she mumbled.

Julia sighed heavily and leaned back, stretching her arms behind her head. "Do you mean to say you really thought a walk in the sun would take care of his problem?" she asked after a moment, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

Xiaoyu blushed and toyed with the necklace around her neck. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," she admitted. "It wasn't just the sunlight, though. I thought we made a connection," she said sadly. "I know it sounds stupid, but I was hoping maybe the power of love or could cure him." She winced and peered at Julia, who had fixed an intense stare onto her. "It is stupid, isn't it," she continued in a small voice, looking down at her bed sheets and worrying free a few more loose threads on the edge.

Julia reached out, grasping Xiaoyu's hand and extracting it from the tangle of fabric. She gave it a gentle squeeze and smile reassuringly. "It's not a stupid theory, Xiaoyu. It's a very childish and romantic one, but sometimes the simple ideas are the best ones."

Xiaoyu looked up and smiled thankfully at the older girl, but the encouraging words couldn't completely drive away the moodiness she was feeling. "Thanks, Julia, but the point is that it still didn't work!" she wailed. "I don't know what to do next!"

Julia released Xiaoyu's hand and dropped her head, exhaling heavily. When she looked up, a note of seriousness played across her face. "I'm going to tell you something, Xiaoyu, and I don't want you to take it the wrong way," she began cautiously. "I admit, my experience with the supernatural ends with Toshin, but maybe I can help you find an answer to your problem from a fresh perspective."

Xiaoyu looked up hopefully and gave Julia a firm nod. "Go on, I'm completely out of ideas by now! I know you're really smart, so I bet you can come up with a better solution than mine."

"That's not quite what I wanted to talk about," Julia answered. "I actually can't think of any solution better than yours that wouldn't involve a medicine man, a tent and quite a few restraints." She gave the other girl a brief grin before continuing. "Maybe a greater power can save Jin. But are you sure you have that power?"

Xiaoyu's mouth fell open. "What do you mean? What power can be greater than love?" she exclaimed.

"None, really," Julia answered cryptically, staring at Xiaoyu. They had a brief staring match before Julia sighed and her shoulders sagged. "You really don't understand what I'm trying to say, do you," she groaned.

"No!" Xiaoyu answered, beginning to get a little miffed. "My head hurts, my lungs hurt and my ribs are broken. I don't need to answer any stupid riddles right now! Just say what you mean!"

Julia crossed her hands together and looked decidedly uncomfortable. "What I mean is, are you sure that you love Jin, Xiaoyu? I mean,  _ really _ love Jin?" She paused and waited for the other girl's response.

"What kind of a question is that?" Xiaoyu yelled, getting angrier. "Of course I love Jin! I've loved him since I first laid eyes on him! Are you trying to say there's something wrong with that?" She snapped her mouth shut and crossed her arms angrily, flipping her head away from Julia. "What is this, pick on Xiaoyu week?"

Julia sat back and rubbed her temples, sighing deeply. "Listen. You told me everything you know about Jin, from the first time you met until just now. It seems to me that you two never actually had all that much time alone with each other. You yourself said you almost never saw him at home, and when you did, he was always busy doing something for Heihachi. You only briefly attended high school together, and you weren't even in the same class year. Then he left for Australia, and you only saw him again at a few fights during the fourth tournament."

"So?" Xiaoyu snapped, glancing at Julia with an angry glare. "I saw enough of him to know that I still love him! And what about that conversation in the temple? It proves he cares about me too!"

"No, it doesn't," Julia answered sharply. "It seems to me that you have a huge blind spot when it comes to understanding the Mishimas, Xiaoyu. You thought of Heihachi as family, but look at how he's treated you, even how he treats you now. Has he tried to contact you at all?" Noting Xiaoyu's sullen silence, she pressed on. "I'm sure Jin is a good person, and it seems like he really is trying to fight against his cursed bloodline. But I don't see how he could have time to develop those feelings for you with so much on his mind. And frankly, I don't see how you could find true love with him when you barely even know him."

Xiaoyu scowled, refusing to meet Julia's eyes. "You know, you're really starting to sound like Miharu!" she grumbled.

"This Miharu is probably a better friend than you think," Julia said reprovingly. "But to get back to the point, there's nothing wrong with having a crush on somebody else. Being infatuated with someone and being truly in love are two different things, though. Are you sure you can tell the difference?"

"I'm in love!" Xiaoyu said stubbornly, her mouth drawing into a tight frown. "What would you know about it anyway?" she said savagely, her temper still boiling.

"The question is what you would know about it," Julia answered, refusing to let the other girl throw her off. She was just as tenacious in her verbal arguments as she was in physical ones, and calmly continued to prod despite Xiaoyu's discomfort. "Everyone has known true love at some point in their life," she explained. "The lucky ones are those who manage to find it in other people, and have that love returned to them."

Xiaoyu turned her head slightly and regarded the other girl, curiosity ebbing away at the anger she was feeling. "Have you ever been in love before?" she asked.

"Of course," Julia answered with a smile. "I love my mother. I love my tribe, and most of all, I love the forest."

"That's not what I meant!" Xiaoyu answered with a huff. "I meant have you ever been in love with a boy!"

"You asked if I was in love," Julia replied. "I am, just not with ' _ a boy _ ,' as you put it. I love nature much more than I could ever love other people. The power of real love is deeper than something as trifling as romance," she explained. "Real love can be difficult and painful. But it is a force that can change the world, and more importantly, change other people. That sort of power could possibly save Jin."

Xiaoyu sighed and slowly uncrossed her arms, reaching for the feather dangling from her neck once more. "You're starting to sound less like Miharu and more like my grandpa," she muttered. "Well, if you're such an expert on love, then, why don't you tell me what I need to do to find this 'true love' with Jin?"

Julia laughed, shaking her head slightly. "Well, that's a good start," she said encouragingly. "You care enough about Jin to want to save him from his fate. The answer should lie in your own heart, though. You can't just give other people instructions on how to fall in love, you know. It has to grow on its own."

Xiaoyu chewed her lower lip, thinking about Julia's words. "So how will I know the difference between being in true love and just being infatuated, then?" she asked timidly. "It always feels like it's real when I'm around Jin."

"I think you already know what real love feels like," Julia said with a tiny smile. "You obviously love your grandfather very much. And you love that pet of yours, Panda, don't you?" She waited for Xiaoyu's slow nod before continuing. "The Mishima family is cursed with something besides just the devil," she explained. "It seems to me like they never really learned what it means to love another human being. Don't let them be your guide when it comes to understanding matters of the heart." Leaning forward, she rested her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You have a beautiful, innocent spirit, Xiaoyu. I'm sure that one day you'll find real love, maybe even with that ideal ' _ boy _ ' you spend all your time dreaming about right now. Just be careful that you don't jump to conclusions too quickly. Real love doesn't always come from the places you expect it to."

"That's it?" Xiaoyu said, feeling confused and vaguely disappointed. "I thought you were going to say something that was actually helpful," she pouted. Still, her anger at Julia's insinuations had faded away completely as she turned the Native American's pointed queries over in her head. She held up the necklace in the light and studied the pattern it made between the fine ridges on the feather.

_ How much do I really know about Jin? _ "Maybe…" she murmured, growing thoughtful as she scoured her memory.  _ What's his favourite colour? His favourite food? What does he do in his spare time? What does he dream about? _ The answers she searched for were missing, like holes in a puzzle, preventing the image from becoming a unified whole.  _ Panda's favourite colour is pink. Jinrei's favourite food is fried fish, especially the crispy head with the eyeballs still in it, gross! Miharu's totally addicted to soap operas. Julia dreams about saving her forest. Jin… what does Jin like? _ The only answer she could come up with was that he didn't like her in her school uniform. But the undercurrent of attraction, the speeding beat of her heart when she thought about his handsome face, that was definitely still there. "Just great," she mumbled, dropping the feather dejectedly and lowering her face into her hands.

"Well, you can look on the bright side," Julia began softly, trying to lighten Xiaoyu's sinking spirits. "If what you told me was right, at least Jin cares about you enough to try and protect you from getting hurt."

Xiaoyu looked up blearily. "What if that was just the Devil speaking, though, trying to use me?"

"Maybe. But I think at least in some small way, Jin must appreciate you. I don't think this Devil creature would give you such special treatment if the real Jin didn't have any interest in you."

"There's still that tiny little exorcism problem," she grumbled. "Are you sure you can't convince a medicine man to fly all the way to Tokyo?" she begged.

Julia smiled as she stood up and gave Xiaoyu a small hug. "We'll figure something out. Don't worry, no matter what happens I'll help you through this. It's the least I can do to repay you for helping me." The two girls drew away as a rude voice interrupted them.

"Well, shit. If I had known this was gonna turn into a lesbian orgy, I would've brought my camera." The crude commentary came from the direction of the door, and both girls shot the culprit a withering look. "Fine, I can tell where I'm not wanted," Hwoarang said after a moment, scowling and backing away. "Sorry for bothering you two."

"Wait a second," Xiaoyu called out, beckoning for the tall redhead to come in. "Don't go just yet, Hwoarang. We need to talk."

"Are you sure about that, Xiaoyu?" Julia said, giving Hwoarang a frosty glare. She sighed and released some of the tension in her shoulders as she caught Xiaoyu's slight nod. "Maybe it's better if I leave you two alone right now," she said, making her way towards the door. As she passed Hwoarang, she purposefully bumped her shoulder roughly against his arm, forcing him to stumble backwards. "You're a bastard," she hissed lowly through her teeth as she glared at the glowering Korean. "Xiaoyu might be a nice forgiving girl, but if you ever leave her alone in danger like that again, I'll toss you out the next window."

"Oh, I'm so scared," Hwoarang said with a smirk. "Heard you got eliminated today, Chang. Tough luck, eh?" he responded caustically.

"Humph," Julia grunted, "I have no idea what she sees in you." She gave Hwoarang one final glare before pushing past him and leaving the room.

"Nice," he drawled, staring after Julia momentarily before turning around to face Xiaoyu. "Body of a goddess, personality of the devil. Now that's what I call one-hundred-percent bitch."

Xiaoyu frowned at Hwoarang. "Sit down," she growled. "And don't talk about Julia like that, she's my friend." She paused, then glared at Hwoarang, who shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. "I should be really angry at you," she grumbled.

"I know," Hwoarang said, pulling out the hand he had been holding behind his back. He shoved the bundle of dripping yellow daisies he was holding roughly towards Xiaoyu and then settled backwards into the chair after she took them, crossing his arms and focusing his embarrassed glare on the ceiling.

Xiaoyu stared at the bouquet in surprise; the daisies were large and fresh, filling the air with a sweet scent. A wide smile broke over her face as she studied the flowers. "Wow, these are my favourite!" she exclaimed, carefully looking the bundle over. "How did you know?"

"Well, uh, I didn't," Hwoarang said, rubbing the back of his head nervously as he saw Xiaoyu pull out a card tucked away between the leaves.

" _ To my dearest Alice, hope you get over that broken leg soon. Lots of love, Dad." _ She looked up from the small card and stared at Hwoarang in disbelief. "You stole these from someone?"

"So what? It's the thought that counts," Hwoarang answered carelessly, settling into the chair next to her bed.

"That's not the point! You're not –"

_ WHAP! _

"- supposed to steal -"

_ WHAP! _

"- flowers -"

_ WHAP! _

"- from other patients, especially helpless little girls!" she shouted, slapping the bouquet over Hwoarang's head at each pause for emphasis.

"Hey! Quit it! Geez, if it makes you feel any better, she weighed about 300 pounds!  _ Little _ Alice probably broke her leg trying to walk!" He scowled and ducked again as Xiaoyu gave him one final beating with the now-threadbare bouquet before flinging it onto the table.

"And don't insult people you don't even know!" Xiaoyu finished angrily, flopping back onto the bed with a wince. "Oww, I hope you know how much it hurt to do that just now," she muttered.

Hwoarang gave her a lopsided grin. "Glad to know I'm still important enough to get you out of your deathbed," he told her with satisfaction.

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes in frustration. "With an ego that big, I just know you've got to be compensating for something," she answered tartly. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were mad at me, too."

"I am," Hwoarang said, leaning on one leg and glaring at Xiaoyu. "He blew up my fucking  _ bike _ , Xiaoyu. That bike was my baby."

"So you left me there just because of your bike, huh," Xiaoyu said quietly, trying to hide the note of hurt in her voice. "Nice to know where I stand."

"Hell no! I'm just most pissed off about the bike right now," he said loudly. "What is it with girls, anyway? Answer them honestly and they either wanna scalp ya or turn on the waterworks!" His expression softened slightly as Xiaoyu turned her head away, looking more upset. "Aww, c'mon, it was a joke. Shit, wait a second," he said, fumbling clumsily for the box of tissues on the nightstand as Xiaoyu sniffed loudly. He waved the box towards her, looking uncomfortable. "Look, I'm sorry. Here, just… take them and don't start sobbing again, alright?"

Xiaoyu had actually stopped feeling bad as soon as he answered, but she gave Hwoarang a spiteful mental grin, enjoying his discomfort as she dabbed at her eyes dramatically with a tissue. She sniffled loudly once more just to make him feel bad, then put away the tissue and turned serious. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Jin before," she began slowly. "I wasn't sure if I could trust you. Besides, you have to admit, you're a big jerk."

"I'm not as big of an asshole as that thing that tried to kill you," he answered, his eyes narrowing. "What happened to you anyway? You got no problems dumping on someone like me, but someone wearing Kazama's face calls you a whore, your answer is to say you love him?" He ran his hands through his hair and exhaled noisily through his nostrils. "Sorry," he said after a moment. "I didn't come here to pick another fight with you." He sneaked a glance back at Xiaoyu and scowled in confusion. "What now?"

Xiaoyu was staring at Hwoarang with wide eyes. "T-that's why you were so mad?" she murmured.

Hwoarang looked more confused, and then decided on the simple route of replacing confusion with anger. "Yeah! Did that goddamn monk give you brain damage or something?" The anger switched back to confusion as Xiaoyu giggled at him. "Did I miss something?" he said.

"You're jealous!" she said, pointing at Hwoarang, who instantly flushed red.

"WHAT?" he yelled, jumping up from the chair so suddenly it made a loud screech against the floor. "I am not fucking jealous!"

"Oh, sit down," Xiaoyu said, still snorting and waving at the misplaced chair. "It's okay, you don't have to be shy about it." She stopped smiling as Hwoarang grumbled and flipped the chair around, sitting on it backwards and crossing his arms over the backrest.

"You need your head checked," he growled at her. "There's no way in hell I could be jealous of a guy who called you a 'ho." He clenched his fist tightly and grit his teeth. "Look, maybe I don't come from the best neighbourhood like Kazama does, but even in my gang we knew the rules." He looked up sharply at Xiaoyu. "You got it bad for him, I can tell. But damn, woman, at least keep your self-respect!"

Xiaoyu flushed guiltily and began to worry the edge of her bedspread again. "I know. But it wasn't really Jin that said those terrible things to me," she mumbled.

Hwoarang sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again. "Alright. Just promise me one thing. If something like that ever happens again, just pretend it's me sayin' those things, then you can do what you need to do to shut him up."

"Why you?" she asked dumbly.

Hwoarang only stared at her like she had grown a second head.

Xiaoyu blinked, turning her face away from him as she thought about it.  _ If Hwoarang had said something like that to me, I'd be… hurt, not angry. I would have been angry before, but something's changed,  _ she realized. That thought took her by surprise, and a tense silence stretched between them as a blush began to bloom over Xiaoyu's face. "Yeah, well, let's just hope that sort of thing never happens again, right?" she covered, coughing into her hand noisily.

Hwoarang grunted in assent. "By the way, you did good," he said roughly, not meeting her eyes.

"The match, you mean?" Xiaoyu said, wincing as she laid a hand over her bandaged side. "If breaking two ribs and passing out directly afterwards means good, then yeah, I guess," she said sourly. "I even heard Feng managed to walk away from it."

Hwoarang shook his head slightly. "Naw, I mean it. They actually aired the whole thing uncut on the tube. You really kicked his ass," he said with grin. "Even if that bastard got away before you, he was definitely limping."

A smile bloomed across Xiaoyu's face when she heard his reply, and a warm, comfortable feeling settled into her stomach with the compliment. "Thanks," she said. "Still, I got beat up pretty bad. I don't know if I'll make it past the next round," she admitted, worrying her lower lip.

"You'll make it," Hwoarang said confidently, slumping down in the chair.

Xiaoyu couldn't stop from grinning in response to his declaration. "Why are you so certain? You think your ego alone can carry me through the next fight?"

"Not really," Hwoarang said lazily, waving a hand through the air. "But see, you  _ still _ owe me. So you're gonna show up to your next match wearing what I tell you to whether you like it or not."

The smile dropped off of Xiaoyu's face and a tiny headache began to blossom. "What?" she asked dangerously. "What do you mean I STILL owe you? You can't be serious about that Raven thing, he was trying to KILL us!" she said, her voice slowly rising into a shout.

"Hell yeah," Hwoarang said, sitting up and grinning sadistically. "Not only that, like I said, you cost me a bike. This time, you're really gonna pay."

"Pay?" Xiaoyu screeched, reaching for the pillow behind her. "I'll give you your payment right now!" she yelled, getting ready to slam the redhead with it.

Hwoarang laughed as he leapt out of the chair and sauntered towards the door, ignoring Xiaoyu's threats and curses. "Relax, I'll make sure your next costume covers a little more," he promised.

"Screw you!" Xiaoyu responded, dropping the pillow in frustration as Hwoarang moved out of her reach. She stopped fuming as she realized he was still standing at the door. "What's up?" she asked guardedly.

"You're gonna keep going until you find him, aren't you," Hwoarang said, looking at Xiaoyu with an odd expression.

Xiaoyu hesitated, and then nodded slowly. "Yeah," she said softly. "I have to try my best to help him. I… I can't really explain it," she mumbled, thinking of her conversation with Julia. She looked up in surprise when he spoke, his tone uncharacteristically thoughtful.

"You ain't the only one who's worried about that asshole," he mumbled. Noting Xiaoyu's attention, he coughed and crossed his arms, his face dropping into a scowl. "What the hell. If I let someone like you go at it alone, you're gonna end up getting hurt."

Xiaoyu regarded Hwoarang with wide eyes. "You're going to help me find a cure for Jin too?" she asked uncertainly.

The Korean's scowl quickly lifted into his lopsided, cynical grin. "Hell yeah. I'll be there when you face him again. That bastard owes me more than you do." He gave Xiaoyu a small salute. "Catch you later, sunshine," he laughed, strolling out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I know, I know. "OMG A CHAPTER WITH NO ACTION IN IT !11!11!" ;-) I hope it doesn't read like an after school special. After all this dialogue, though, I think I'm going to have fun writing up a Julia romance when this story is finished, make her eat her own medicine so to speak. Arg, I can't believe I'm already planning my next fanfiction. EVIL TEKKEN! EVIL!


	13. 12: Trick Flower

Xiaoyu's remaining time in the hospital passed quickly, much too quickly for her liking. Though her ribs still ached, her participation in the tournament required a hasty recovery from her injury, or at the least the appearance of one. The Mishima Corporation wasn't foolish; having suddenly been transformed into one of their top attractions, Xiaoyu was showered with more professional care and attention than she had ever received before. It didn't ease the sting, both literally and figuratively, as she was hustled out of the hospital and back to the Corporation Headquarters to prepare for her next match, aided only by the tight bandages around her side and a bottle of aspirin in her hand.

Her increasingly dark mood was briefly suspended after she placed a phone call to her mother in China. Xiaoyu was struck with a tiny bit of guilt at the reprimands her harried mother gave her for not calling home often enough; finding out that Jinrei had, however, only left the country for some sort of extended vacation rather than meet a horrible death at the hands of an angry renegade Shaolin monk did fill her with a huge sense of relief. Her cheerful mood was short lived, though, ruined all too soon by a knock on her bedroom door. The knock was followed by the delivery of a large, mysterious brown box, identified only by the short message hastily scrawled across its top. " _ Wear this _ " it read.

"Oh my God," muttered Xiaoyu as she regarded the contents of the package with faint horror. The TV next to her bed flickered slightly, displaying the Tournament match listing once more, reminding her that her next battle would be coming up all too soon. "I'm going to kill him," she swore as she struggled to pull the costume out of the box.

**\- x – x – x -**

The dark, sleek limo pulled up to the curb and as it stopped, a heavily booted foot kicked open the back door. After a few moments, Xiaoyu managed to struggle out of the car, pausing long enough to give the driver a deadly glare. "Don't say a word!" she growled as the man struggled to keep his face placid. Turning around, she looked over the beautiful recessed English-style garden, surrounded by high stone walls. Flies buzzed lazily around the sweet, blooming flowers and she even thought she heard the low rumbling of a toad. It was romantic; it was extravagant; there were cameras mounted openly at almost every point around the high stone walls. It was a nightmare for Xiaoyu.

"I'm really going to kill him," she muttered under her breath, steeling herself and waddling forward. The match was most certainly going to be televised widely; Xiaoyu had seen enough tournament snippets and advertisements to know that she was the major attraction of this fight in more than one way. Even if the battle itself was not nearly as spectacular as the one she had fought with Feng Wei, the costume Hwoarang had chosen for her would ensure national attention. Her only comfort was that her opponent might die of laughter before she actually had to fight him. Wiping some sweat from her forehead, she scanned the area once more and sighed as she saw her challenger, who still had his back turned. "Hey!" she called out, lifting an arm and waving cautiously. "Over here!"

The man turned around and did a double take. "You ain't 'ere for the match, are you luv?" he managed to choke out.

Xiaoyu felt her face flush from more than just the heat of her outfit and pulled at the fur collar uncomfortably. "Well, umm… yeah," she mumbled.

"You're pullin' me leg!" he said, looking at her with an air of disbelief.

Xiaoyu dropped her head, hunching forward. Long plastic beads slapped against her face as she gave the tall blonde a clumsy bow. "Ling Xiaoyu, reporting for the fight," she said miserably.

"Steve Fox's the name, boxin's me game." He gave her another curious glance. "You're really 'ere to duke it out? You look right silly," he said, his mouth quirking up into a grin.

"I know," she said after taking a moment to decipher the British man's thick accent. "Let's just get this fight over with, okay?" As she spoke, static crackled over the courtyard from one of the mounted speakers. Not only was the voice of the announcer louder than usual on this day, it was much showier, and clearly coloured with poorly hidden amusement.

"Preeeee-senting battle eighteen of the Fifth King of the Iron Fist Tournament!" yelled the voice tackily. "Our challenger today is the World Boxing Champion, the Fists from the Mists, the UK Stingray, Steeeeeeeeve Fox!"

Almost reflexively, Steve turned around and raised his gloved fists, bouncing slightly as he waved at the non-existent audience.

"There's no one here!" Xiaoyu said, trying to plant her mittens on her wide hips and failing. "Who are you waving at?"

"Cameras, luv," Steve said, the broad smile never leaving his face. "If you're going to show in a get-up like that, a lil' bit o' struttin's in order, init?"

Xiaoyu looked down at herself and groaned. "I don't think I have to strut," she mumbled. If revenge was what he wanted, Hwoarang had certainly chosen well; she was dressed in an outfit that made her look three times her size – width-wise. It would have pleased Panda to no extent, no doubt; her "costume" was actually more of a full-sized bear-shaped body suit. The fake polyester fur had been dyed in a mock camouflage pattern of hot pink, yellow, grey and cream; the fluffy yellow ball passing for a tail on its massive backside made it stand out even more. Completing the look were a pair of hot-pink booties and mittens, and two strings of loud plastic beads jangling down each side of her head. Unfortunately for Xiaoyu, Hwoarang was also not entirely stupid, having opted to avoid attendance at her match, thereby preventing his immediate death.  _ Temporarily _ , she reminded herself, her cheeks burning with humiliation.

"And back again, our returning champion, the Jade Maid, the Flower Power, the… ahh... Bear Flair, Liiiiiiiing Xiaoyu!"

The cameras whirred and clicked, focusing on Xiaoyu, who growled and pointed her middle finger at the speaker. At least, she tried to. The mittens provided excellent censorship for her rude gestures.

"Lovely," Steve smirked, approaching the center of the garden and hopping a few times in preparation for the match.

"Fighters, take your position!"

Groaning, Xiaoyu moved towards Steve and tried to sink into her battle crouch. The large panda suit, however, was bottom-heavy, something which she hadn't accounted for. Panicking, she wind-milled her arms wildly, unable to check her downward motion. A little scream escaped her lips and Xiaoyu toppled over ungracefully, landing on her butt and rolling backwards. She came to a stop on her back, her arms spread-eagled over a flowerbed and her feet in the air.

"Blimey! I think you killed the frog!" Steve exclaimed.

"Fight!" boomed the speakers, and the bell rung.

"Wait! I'm not ready yet!" Xiaoyu screamed, trying to roll to her feet.

"Sorry luv," Steve said apologetically, and dove towards her.

Xiaoyu imagined his gloved fist to be a huge red arrow flying towards her and the panda suit as the large target, complete with fluffy yellow bull's eye. She flapped her arms and legs desperately, trying to gain enough momentum to roll out of reach of the punch. It didn't work, and Steve's fist landed solidly against one of her legs. "Aaah!" she cried out reflexively, shutting her eyes and waiting for the pain to register.

Whack. Whack. Whack-THWACK-whack. "Shine a light," she heard Steve mutter as a dull thumping sensation tickled her legs. Cautiously, she opened an eye to see Steve punching at the bottom of her costume ineffectually. The furry suit was simply so well padded that despite his most valiant attempts, the boxer's fists were failing to cause any serious damage. "Doesn't this count as cheating?" he complained after a few moments, stopping his assault and leaning over to catch his breath.

Xiaoyu didn't bother to answer, instead flinging her arms back and with a Herculean effort, springing forward, booties first. The pain in her side from the sudden motion was unbelievable, but the unexpected lunge did catch Steve off guard, and her feet struck him directly across the chest.

"Shite!" Steve yelled as he toppled over. Unfortunately, Xiaoyu once again misjudged her fully suited weight. Her scream joined his as she landed on him and pitched face forward into a large clump of flowers. There were a few moments of silence, and then a muffled groan. "Met moff muh me."

Xiaoyu winced and sat up. Looking down, she saw Steve's red-tinted face trapped between both of her large, furry knees. He tried to speak again, but the British man's accent was muffled beyond all comprehension underneath a thick blanket of fake panda fur. Xiaoyu stared at him blankly for a moment, then reacted on instinct. "PERVERT!" she screamed, trying to push herself away.

"Mo're meh mun moo manded mon me!" he bellowed, heaving upwards with his powerful shoulders in an attempt to dislodge Xiaoyu. Unfortunately, their combined efforts were not very well coordinated, and she only made it up halfway before losing her balance again and landing heavily on her backside. This elicited another grunt of pain from the boxer, and cautiously, she looked down. Between her booted feet she could see a few wisps of mangled blonde hair.

"Umm… sorry?" she laughed nervously. Then a thoughtful look crossed her face. Lifting her foot, she let it drop onto Steve's forehead.

"MOOOOW!" he yelled, tossing his head to the side and spitting out a mouthful of fur.

Smiling, she did it again, this time with both feet. The yell turned into a groan of pain, and Xiaoyu giggled. "Hey, maybe this isn't so bad after all!" she cheered. Noticing a few gentle taps on her back, she craned her neck around and glanced over her shoulder. Steve's knees were flailing behind her, ineffectually trying to kick her off. It was clear to see, however, that he didn't have nearly enough flexibility to perform any sort of spectacular kick that would have been required to dislodge her massive, furry body. She began to sway her feet lazily, tapping Steve's forehead rhythmically with the heels of her booties. "I think I won!" she called out loudly as she swung her boots up and down. "What do you think?" she said, lifting a leg and peering down at the blonde's flushed, annoyed face.

"This must be the worst bloody match of my career," Steve managed to growl before Xiaoyu silenced him with another foot. She smiled as the bell rang and clumsily rolled off of the hapless boxer.

"Ling Xiaoyu wins!" blared the speakers. "Fighters, get ready for the next  _ battle _ ," said the announcer with a decided note of irritation.

Steve stood up, brushing some stray fur off of his body and gave Xiaoyu a wry smile. "I might 'ave lost, but least it sounds like we managed to piss 'em off." He sounded unusually pleased with himself.

Struggling to her feet, Xiaoyu shrugged her slightly battered suit back into place and regarded her opponent curiously. "You sound like you don't care about losing too much," she said cautiously.

"Who said I'm going to lose?" Steve said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "'Ave to apologize, luv, I don't normally 'it girls in the face," he added as the bell rang.

"Eep!" Xiaoyu squeaked as he took a high swing at her head, falling into her phoenix crouch to duck the punch. She looked up to see another gloved fist hurtling at her head from above and quickly scooted backwards. "This suit is really slowing me down," she cursed as Steve beat his hands together and jumped back, fixing her with a calculating stare.

"Problems with the tail?" he laughed, then charged her with a wild grin.

"It's not slowing me down that much!" Xiaoyu said with a smile of her own. She was enjoying herself despite the panda suit and her aching ribs. It was easy to see that Steve meant business, but he fought with a vibrant energy that sparked a similar response in herself. It was true that Jinrei had pushed Xiaoyu into fighting, rigorous lesson after lesson, usually to her dismay and loud protests. But like anyone crazy or skilled enough to make it into the Tournaments, there was a small part of her that lived for the fight. The excitement, the adrenaline high, the risks taken; they combined to fill her with a sense of purpose and delight, even if only temporary. And she was sure the British boxer wasn't out for a kill; she could tell he also understood the wild joy of fighting.

Grunting with the effort, Xiaoyu twisted forward, launching herself into the air sideways. Stretching her arms and legs out, she spun through the air like a pinwheel and hoped to catch Steve off guard with the unusually acrobatic manoeuvre. This time she was mostly prepared for the shifting of her excess costume weight, using it to add force to her attack as she whirled through the air spread-eagled.

"'oly mother of –" Steve's colourful curse was cut off by a booted foot to the face. Xiaoyu touched the ground briefly and continued the kick, swinging her arms around to give her enough momentum for a second swipe with her right leg. Though she had managed to clip the boxer soundly across the face the first time, he weaved backwards during her second attack and she only grazed his cheek. As she completed her kick, Xiaoyu gasped and skipped forward unexpectedly, still not completely balanced in the huge suit. It brought her in close to Steve, who reversed his dodge with a smile and drove his fist into her side.

"OWWW!" Xiaoyu yelled as she doubled over and hit the floor. The impact was just as buffered as any of his other attempted blows; it still, however, brushed against her tender ribs. She already knew without looking up that the boxer would try to plant a hit directly on the back of her head while she was down, possibly knocking her out and ending the match quickly. Rather than trying to dodge, she closed her eyes and reached up blindly over her head. Sure enough, her hands came into contact with his descending glove and she grabbed on tightly, twisting his arm with as much strength as she could muster. Steve was still much stronger than her, and she only managed to divert the blow to her shoulder, but it was enough to keep her conscious, and definitely enough time for her to execute her next attack. With a battle cry, she sprung upwards as forcefully as she could. The gamble worked, and Steve let out a yell as she knocked him off balance and flipped him over her back, using the force of his own missed swing to toss him to the floor.

"Bollocks!" Steve roared as he began to struggle off the floor, fire flashing in his eyes.

"Hey! I didn't say you could get up yet!" Xiaoyu yelled as he rose, clinging onto his arm tightly and attempting to pull him downwards.

"It won't work, luv, you 'ave the strength of a pea," Steve said as he hopped to his feet, hefting Xiaoyu up with him.

"Actually, I think it worked pretty well!" Xiaoyu answered, smiling brightly as she stopped struggling and gave Steve's arm a solid tug. As the sudden move jerked his upper body downwards, she leapt over his head. Clutching the boxer's arm tightly all the while, she planted her free hand on his opposite shoulder and cartwheeled over his head.

"Bloody hell!" the boxer yelled as she shifted her grip in mid-air with lightning speed to secure a hold around his neck and landed on his other side. The unfortunate consequence being, of course, that her momentum launched him into the air, carrying him into a wild cartwheel that mirrored her own. He crashed in to the ground, rolling several feet away from her, then pushed himself up with a curse.

"Incoming!" Xiaoyu yelled.

Steve looked up in time to see a large blur of peach, grey and pink rush towards him. "Definitely the worst match of my car—" he muttered before he was cut off by a flash of pink. Xiaoyu ended her charge by diving to the ground and kicking her legs out in a quick split, sending Steve flying into the sculpture recessed into the stone wall behind him. She jumped to her feet and cheered, holding her hand out in a mostly unrecognizable victory sign as the second bell rung.

"Unbelievable! Ling Xiaoyu Wins!" cried the announcer.

"Unbelievable?" Xiaoyu repeated incredulously, whirling around to look at a speaker with fury. Then she planted her hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue. "Believe it! Even in a panda suit, you can't stop Ling Xiaoyu!" Her eyes widened and she waved at the speaker frantically. "Oh, and I dedicate this fight to Panda! Now I know how hard it was for you to stick up for me all this time, thanks so much! I miss you a lot! And to Miharu, I'm sorry we had that fight! Oh yeah, and to my grandpa Jinrei, why the heck didn't you call me and tell me you were going on vacation! And one last thing, -"

There was the loud whine of a microphone being shut off, and Xiaoyu was left standing with her arm raised, sputtering.

"They cut me off!" she said, stomping her foot. "I don't believe it, I'm finally on TV and I still don't get my fifteen minutes of fame!" she yelled.

"Oh, believe it, luv" groaned Steve as he extracted himself from the reclining statue, brushing a few flowers out of his unruly hair. "They only want to see you fight, not talk." He gave her a wry grin as he approached. "Less chance for you to say something stupid, see. Don't take it personal."

"You're not mad at me for beating you?" Xiaoyu asked timidly.

"Well, I am right pissed at meself for being taken by someone wearing the likes o' that," he said, looking Xiaoyu over. "Not every day that you get a look at an airborne tie-dyed panda, either," he mused. "Lei better 'ave taped this one, that's for sure."

Xiaoyu giggled and bowed slightly. "Well, thanks for a nice match, I had fun!" she said and began to waddle towards the garden archway, holding her side.

"Wait a minute, there, luv," Steve called out. Xiaoyu turned around and raised an eyebrow, then frowned. The good-humoured look had dropped off of his face, and his blue eyes glittered coolly as he stared Xiaoyu down. "I think you might want to have a bit o' a drink with me right now. It's only polite." The way he said it sounded more like a threat than an invitation.

"Umm, I don't drink, sorry," she said cautiously and began to waddle more quickly towards the exit.

"Oh, I'd wager you'll want to share a nip o' something with me," he said, pulling up alongside her and easily matching her slow pace.

"And why's that?" Xiaoyu said grimly, avoiding his gaze.

"Because you just cut me out of something I need," he answered levelly.

Xiaoyu huffed. "That's your problem," she answered, making her way towards the parked limousine. She sighed with relief as they arrived at the car and reached for the door handle.

Steve smiled and leaned forward, blocking Xiaoyu's access to the door of the car. "Oh, not really, luv," he answered. "Leastwise, not if you'd like to keep your pretty little Indian friend out of trouble," he added.

Xiaoyu stopped and stared at the blonde with wide eyes. "What?" she asked guardedly.

"Yes, that friend of yours. Julia, wasn't she? Beautiful name," he said with a half-smile. "Beautiful girl. It'd be a real shame if something 'appened to 'er, now wouldn't it."

"If you're trying to threaten me, it's not going to work," Xiaoyu hissed, her temper rising. "For one, Julia can take care of herself. For two, she's not even in the tournament anymore. So just get lost, creep." She shoved Steve's arm out of the way and began to open the door.

"Oh, I'm not the one making the threat," he said, slamming his hand against the car window and shutting the door forcefully. "I 'appen to know who your friend works for. I know what she wants. And I know 'ow she tried to get it a few days ago." He narrowed his eyes and glared at Xiaoyu. "Interesting, what a little bit o' information can get you these days."

Xiaoyu had stopped cold.  _ He knows about Julia's break-in. _ Her Native American friend might not be participating in the Tournament, but as long as she remained in Tokyo, she was still in danger. Even if Julia returned to the United States, though, the Mishima Corporation's tendrils were widespread and deadly; there was no guarantee she would be safe. Not to mention the consequences Xiaoyu herself would face if Kazuya discovered she had aided one of his rivals.  _ No choice then, _ she thought with a mild note of panic. "What is it you want?" she asked him quietly, her voice trembling with anger.

"I want in." Steve leaned in closer, his glacier-like eyes boring holes into Xiaoyu's head. "I need inside information from the Mishima Corporation. I was 'oping to get it from the top, but you just cut off me route," he said, gesturing irately at the garden. "You tell Chang to meet me at the Toriteru Restaurant at Shinagawa Station, tomorrow, three o'clock sharp."

"Is that it?" Xiaoyu growled.

"Course not, luv!" Steve said, smiling slightly and freeing her access to the car. "This is just the beginning of a beautiful relationship." He held the door open for her with a smirk. "Glad to see we could come to an understanding. You sure about that drink?"

"Positive," Xiaoyu answered, giving Steve one last angry glare and climbing into the car. The door slammed behind her and she sunk into her seat with a sullen sigh. "Let's get out of here," she moaned to the driver, feeling a little bit of unfounded relief as the car pulled away from her newest problem. She dropped her head back against the cushions and stared at the lush interior of the car blankly. "I think I liked these Tournaments better when I was eliminated early on," she mumbled to herself, closing her eyes and trying to quell the headache that was blossoming behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks to a couple of reviewers for pointing out a small plot hole in the last chapter. I completely forgot about poor Wang! Well.. umm, perhaps we can chalk it up to Xiaoyu being forgetful and impetuous? - sweatdrop - I was planning on giving Steve a bigger role in this story at first, but I think now that it would branch into a tangent too far from Xiaoyu's own to be relevant or interesting. If I can get myself to swallow more pseudo-British dialogue, he might show up in an independent fiction after this one is complete. Incidentally, writing "Mockney" English is really, really friggin' hard. Thanks a lot for giving Steve a difficult accent, Namco. - growls - Everyone else, thanks for leaving reviews, you know you all rock.


	14. 13: Ginger Snap

By the time Xiaoyu arrived at the Mishima Corporation Headquarters, the pain in her side had subsided to a persistent dull throbbing. As she limped through the lobby, her eyes strayed to the contestants' plaque. The gold letters displaying contestant names had increased in size, reflecting the smaller pool of participants as they were eliminated. She smiled as she saw Asuka's name; evidently the perky young girl had kept her promise and won her own match. Hwoarang's name was also still on the board, his next fight slated for the early afternoon tomorrow. A little sigh of relief escaped her lips as she found her own name, relatively low on the roster.  _ That means I don't have to fight until tomorrow either, or maybe even the day after that. _ A tired smile played across her face, but it soon faded into a frown.  _ But that means I might end up fighting Hwoarang or Asuka… or even Jin. _ The thought exhausted her even more than her battle had, and she trudged wearily to the elevator and stabbed at the button. The doors swung open with a polite ding, and soon Xiaoyu was on her way to the comforts of her room. "I could use a break," she sighed, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes. The tinkling of the elevator interrupted her momentary pause, and she cracked an eye open in surprise. "This isn't my stop," she said, standing up and staring at the glowing number on the elevator display in consternation. The doors swung open, and Xiaoyu blinked as she came face to face with a pair of mismatched eyes.  _ Oh, great, _ she thought nervously as she backed into the corner of the elevator and tried to make herself small.

Kazuya glared at her and stepped in, turning his back to her impetuously and pressed the button for the top floor. An uncomfortable, tense silence filled the elevator as it continued its ascent, and Xiaoyu kept her eyes trained studiously on the floor. She flinched as Kazuya's low, frigid voice pierced the gap between them.

"You've managed to surprise us all," he said curtly. It was clear from his disgusted tone that he wasn't being complimentary. "Tell me, what is it that you plan to do if you win this Tournament?" He turned slightly and fixed his artificial eye on Xiaoyu.

Xiaoyu frowned and dared a peek up from the floor. "I guess you'll just have to find out later, now won't you," she answered cheekily. Both of her eyebrows rose in shock as she felt Kazuya's stare drop from her face to her chest.  _ No way! Kazuya might be a jerk, but he's not a perverted old man! _ Looking down reflexively, all she could see were the ridges of the massive, furry panda costume she still wore, hiding any semblance of her actual figure. She glanced up again and saw Kazuya had turned completely to face her, a look of furious disbelief tightening his face into an ugly grimace. "What are you staring at?" she asked, pressing herself against the wall.

Kazuya sprung forward smoothly, without giving her any warning at all. His hand crushed against her chest, tearing at the fur of her suit roughly.

Xiaoyu let out a high-pitched scream of shock, her own hands automatically coming up and grabbing Kazuya's wrist, trying to push him away. Despite her best efforts as they struggled, his hand still inched nearer to her chest, and her face paled as the air became stifling around her.  _ This aura… it's the Devil! _ she panicked, her eyes fixed on the hand that gripped at her costume. To her horror, it was crackling with energy, small sparks of blue lightning racing up and down Kazuya's entire arm. The skin lumped and twisted together, as if the blood running through his veins was boiling. Slowly the fleshy colour deepened into a sickly violet, taking on an almost scaly texture as his nails lengthened and sharpened.

With a grunt, Kazuya thrust his now-clawed hand forward and broke through Xiaoyu's defense, tearing through the fur and fabric and foam padding to reveal the skin underneath. He reached forward roughly and grabbed the silver chain that hung there, jerking out the feather necklace that Julia had woven together. "What is this?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing as he yanked the chain, and Xiaoyu's neck, forward brutally and held the ornament up to the light. "That does not belong to you," he whispered, his voice becoming eerily sibilant.

Xiaoyu had never witnessed Kazuya's transformation into the Devil personally before; all she knew of it were the tales Yoshimitsu had spun. Having it happen now, before her, paralysed her with fear, but only temporarily. After having nearly been killed by Jin's demonic incarnation twice, somehow seeing Kazuya's hand morph into a purple claw wasn't quite as shocking as it should have been. A brief moment of macabre humour passed before her as she watched Kazuya yank at the sturdy necklace, trying to break it off of her neck;  _ Jin's transformation is much better looking, _ she laughed to herself. Then with a huff, she twisted her arms in a quick circular strike, knocking Kazuya's hand off of the chain. She quickly grabbed it and pulled it back to herself, holding her ruined costume together with her other hand. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she yelled furiously. "This is mine, hands off!"

"You lie!" Kazuya roared, the purple stain now spreading upwards on his neck over the collar of his business suit. "That  _ object _ reeks of my essence! How did you come by it? Where did you find—" his angry tirade cut off abruptly as his eyes dropped to the feather once more, glowing softly in the light.

"That's right, put a sock in it Barney!" Xiaoyu shot back. "I earned this feather fair and square, and you can't have it!" The scowl dropped from her face and she pressed back into the elevator corner nervously as Kazuya's shoulders started shaking, the low sound of dark laughter bubbling up from his throat. The purple faded from his skin, transforming him back to his original fleshy colour, but his eyes still retained their unnatural glow when he fixed his cold stare on her again.

"So he has come to you for aid," he noted, his smile predatory. "Do you really think you can help him?" He leaned forward with a sneer. "You are  _ nothing _ . If you attempt to stand in the way of my plans, I will destroy you, just as I will destroy him."

Xiaoyu frowned, rankled by his open threat. "You know, you used to scare me once," she told him haughtily. "Now I can see you for what you are, though – just an angry, bitter old man. You know, you're never going to find what you're looking for."

Kazuya crossed his arms and glowered at Xiaoyu. "Think what you will. Know this, however – I will complete my search, and you will be the one to lead me straight to him." His cold smile froze as Xiaoyu stepped up to him, unfazed.

"Maybe you'll find Jin," she spat. "Maybe I won't even be able to stop you. Even if you succeed, though, it still won't satisfy you," she added, matching Kazuya's glare and refusing to back down. "I bet what you're really looking for is your heart. Well guess what, killing your own son isn't going to help you find it!"

The elevator bell chimed pleasantly, distinctly out of place in the silent war that was raging between Xiaoyu and Kazuya. Xiaoyu finally broke off the glare first, not wanting the elevator to close before she had a chance to exit. She pushed past him, stomping out into the hallway as Kazuya spun around.

"You are mistaken," Kazuya said, his eyes turning hard and unreadable as Xiaoyu glanced back at him. The doors were already shutting when he spoke again. It was his voice, however, devoid of the malice that usually coloured it, did make her spin around and catch her breath in surprise. "This heart will never know love again."

With a soft click, he was gone, leaving Xiaoyu alone on the safety of her floor. "That's the first time I ever heard him sounding remotely human," she mused to herself. Still, as she looked down at the mangled remains of her panda costume, the moment of surprise passed and she ground her teeth together. "Probably the last time, too," she admitted without any regret.

After a quick shower and a change to her trusty sweatpants and tank top, Xiaoyu felt slightly better. Drying her hair, she flipped on the television and flopped onto her bed. She squinted and then laughed at the program which flickered across the screen; it was yet another Iron Fist battle, this time between Lee and what appeared to be two kangaroos. Xiaoyu watched with interest as her pseudo-uncle took quite a beating from the tenacious little creatures, clapping happily when he finally recovered and managed to win his match. Some loud, obnoxious commercials began to float across the screen, and Xiaoyu caught a picture of herself, posing in the huge panda suit. "Super," she muttered dryly, then clicked the TV off when she heard a slight tapping at her door.

Jumping off of her bed and shuffling to the door, she pulled it open and gave the Tekken Force guard standing there a look of surprise. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"There's someone downstairs demanding to see you," he said curtly.

"I'm not expecting anyone this late," Xiaoyu told him. "Who is it?"

"She says her name is Hirano," the guard answered. "Would you like us to deal with her?"

Xiaoyu's eyes bulged and she shook her head wildly. "No, don't you dare ' _ deal with her _ ,' you understand?" she yelled. "I'll be down there in a sec," she added, slamming the door in the guard's face and racing to pull on her shoes. As soon as she had, she pulled open her door and flew out, rushing past the surprised guard who had informed her and calling the private elevator. She tapped her foot impatiently until it finally deposited her on the ground floor, then burst out as soon as the doors opened.

"Miharu!" she yelled, ignoring the stares of the receptionists and guards as she raced across the lobby and barrelled into the other girl.

"Hey, Xiao," Miharu said, smiling and returning Xiaoyu's hug tightly. She let go immediately as she heard Xiaoyu's hiss of pain and looked at her friend in shock. "Whoa, are you okay?" she asked.

"It's just my side," Xiaoyu answered, rubbing at her sore ribs with a smile. "I broke a few ribs a couple of fights ago, so they're a little sensitive right now."

Miharu rolled her eyes. "Girl, I told you that you'd end up getting hurt one of these days. I saw that match you had with the big Chinese guy. You didn't look so good when it was over. I was really worried you know!" Her reproving look quickly faded to one of regret. "I've been trying to reach you for the past couple of days, but I could never get through. Were you really that mad?" she asked sadly.

Xiaoyu blushed and looked down at her hands. "Well, umm, I sorta lost my temper and broke my cell," she admitted. "I've been meaning to call you, but I thought  _ you _ were still mad at  _ me _ ." Both girls stared at each other for a moment, and then broke down into loud giggles. "Come on, let's get out of here and have some fun!" Xiaoyu said, grabbing Miharu's hand and making her way towards the exit. She stopped short as she saw Julia's tall figure entering the lobby and smiled brightly. "Hey, this is perfect!" she said, waving the other girl towards them.

"Hi, Xiaoyu," Julia said with a smile as she approached them. "That was a pretty good match you had with Fox. I'm not sure why you chose to wear that, hmm, 'outfit,' but you did pretty well." She looked over Miharu and then gave the other girl a brief but polite nod of greeting. "Who's your friend?"

"Julia, this is Miharu Hirano. Miharu, this is Julia Chang." She paused and stared as Miharu's eyes widened, then she rushed forward, grasping Julia's hand.

"Oh my gosh! You mean you're THE Julia Chang? Xiaoyu's always going on about you! Did you know she's even a member of your online fan club?" Miharu blurted out. "The way she talks about you, you must be a famous celebrity!" She turned around and shot Xiaoyu an accusing glare. "You didn't tell me you were spending all your time hanging out around superstars, Xiao!"

Julia's face was tinted with a slight blush and a look of surprise. At the mention of her fan club however, the blush faded and was replaced by an increasingly irritated look. "I have a fan club? I thought you said you weren't stalking me," she said pointedly to Xiaoyu.

Xiaoyu grinned nervously and waved her hands up and down, surreptitiously kicking at the back of Miharu's heels. "Oh, no, I'm just a member!" she replied. "The club's run by  _ YokozunaDreamer13 _ , not me. Nobody knows who he is!" Noticing the glares of the surrounding lobby personnel, she hustled the two girls out of the building and onto the street. "The Mishima Corp is full of stiffs," she said. "Why don't we all go to Tokyo Tower and talk there? The sun will be setting soon, it'll be fantastic when they light it all up!" she added brightly.

"Don't you think it's kind of late for a trip like that, Xiao?" Miharu asked as they strolled down the street together. "I have class early tomorrow morning."

"I wasn't planning on staying very long either," Julia interrupted quietly. "I just wanted to check on you and make sure everything was okay after your fight. I wouldn't want to intrude—" she looked in surprise as Xiaoyu paled and grabbed onto Julia's arm tightly, pulling her away from Miharu.

"Everything wasn't okay after the fight," she whispered furiously. "Steve knows about you, Julia. He said he wants to meet you tomorrow." She leaned in towards the tall girl and lowered her voice even more. "I think he's trying to blackmail us."

Julia's lips turned down and her eyes glinted. "Oh he is, is he?" she said, her voice tight with anger. "Did he say what he wanted?"

Xiaoyu shook her head. "No, only that you should meet him at the Toriteru Restaurant at three PM tomorrow. What are we going to do?"

" _ We _ do nothing," Julia snapped. Noticing the other girl recoil in surprise, she smiled apologetically at Xiaoyu. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh. This is my problem, though; you shouldn't have to be involved."

Miharu had been regarding the whole conversation with interest, and skipped in front of the two girls, halting their progress. "What problem? What are you two talking about?"

Xiaoyu exchanged a silent glance of understanding with Julia, and then leapt forward with a huge smile on her face. "Oh, just some boring tournament stuff," she grumbled. "But you know, Julia's right. Stressing out over this stupid tournament is the last thing we want to be doing now. Right?"

Julia grinned slightly and nodded in agreement. "Right. Besides, I've never been to Tokyo Tower before. I heard they have a wonderful aquarium there."

Miharu smiled and bobbed her head in excitement. "It's really great! Xiaoyu and I have been there like a million times already. We can show you all the best spots," she explained busily.

"Enough talking! Let's move already! Look out, Tokyo, it's girls' night out!" Xiaoyu shouted, grabbing the other two girls' hands and racing down the street with a laugh.

**\- x – x – x -**

A few hours later, an exhausted Xiaoyu, Miharu and Julia were relaxing on the uppermost observation deck of the tower. It was late, and the area was abandoned but for the three girls. Normally, visitors weren't allowed in the tower after closing hours, but with a little bit of pouting, liberal use of the Mishima Corporation's good name, and her newfound celebrity status, Xiaoyu was able to convince the guards to let them linger for a bit longer to enjoy the view.

Julia had wandered off by herself and was leaning on the railing, silently appreciating the beauty of the moon in the sky high above them. She looked so relaxed and serene that Xiaoyu didn't want to disturb her Native American companion. Sensing her chance to speak with Miharu alone, Xiaoyu left Julia to her internal contemplation and approached her other friend.

"Hey Mi," she said quietly, tapping Miharu on the shoulder.

"Oh, Xiao! I had a lot of fun today, but it's already later than I planned to be out, you know," she said with a smile. "I should probably get going soon."

Xiaoyu nodded, planting her elbows on the railing beside Miharu and looking at the twinkling city lights below. "I wanted to tell you something," she said. "Before we had our fight, you asked me why I was taking part in the tournament."

Miharu frowned softly. "You don't have to say anything, Xiao." She gave the other girl a small, sad smile. "I know we're friends, but there's a huge part of your life that I just don't understand," she explained haltingly. "I never learned how to fight. I don't have the skill to take part in these tournaments of yours, and even if I did, I'm not sure if I'd have what it takes to get anywhere in them." She sighed and flipped her hair away from her shoulders. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry, maybe I was being a little judgemental back there."

"Thanks, Mi," Xiaoyu answered with a small smile of her own. "But you're my friend, and I was holding out on you. You had a right to be mad, I would've been, too." She sighed and dropped her chin onto her arm. "I should've told you why I entered the competition again this time. You deserve an answer."

Miharu also dropped to her elbows beside Xiaoyu and blew her unruly bangs away from her eyes. "So… are you ready to tell me now?" she asked.

Xiaoyu made a small noise of agreement and drew out the feather, holding it up in the moonlight. The wind blew, making the glowing feather dance before her eyes. "It's about Jin," she confessed softly. "He's in trouble, Mi. Big trouble."

Miharu pushed herself up, staring at the feather with fascination. "Wow, that's incredible, Xiaoyu. Where did you find that thing? I don't think I've ever seen a bird around here with a feather that big. And look how it glows!" she said, reaching out to touch it. "Where'd you get it from?"

Xiaoyu smiled and straightened, allowing Miharu to caress the fragile ornament. "You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said quietly. "But this is part of my problem."

Miharu paused, her sharp eyes narrowing and then darting to Xiaoyu's face. "No WAY," she breathed. "Are you trying to tell me that this feather came from Jin?" Seeing Xiaoyu nod, she studied the feather more closely with a look of disbelief. "You know, he always did seem a little detached from everyone else at school, but I always thought it was because he considered himself better than the rest us. I could swear I never remembered him having wings, though," she finished sarcastically. Her eyes flickered to Xiaoyu's face, and her annoyance slowly leeched away. "Oh my God, you're not lying, are you," she finally gasped, dropping the feather as though it had burned her.

"I wish I was," Xiaoyu answered. "Something's possessing Jin, trying to eat him from the inside. He's trying to fight it, but I don't think he's winning." She bit her lip, her hands gripping the railing so hard that her knuckles turned white. "I don't know if I love him, Mi. I don't even know if he loves me. But I have to try and save him. If I don't do anything, and just let him suffer this fate alone, I'd never be able to forgive myself!" she said, closing her eyes and feeling tears burn behind her eyelids. Miharu's hand reached for her arm and gripped it, and Xiaoyu smiled slightly, keeping her eyes shut.  _ At least I know Miharu's there for me, no matter what I do. _ It was surprising, the amount of relief and comfort she was able to take from that simple knowledge.

"Jin," Miharu murmured to Xiaoyu, squeezing her arm slightly.

"I know," Xiaoyu answered, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I have to figure out how I really feel about him if I want to help him."

Miharu's arm tightened almost painfully, and her voice rose several decibels. "No, I mean Jin! Xiaoyu, JIN!"

Xiaoyu's eyes popped open, and she looked at Miharu, who was staring into the sky with a flabbergasted look. With a sense of dread, she looked up and gasped. An unmistakable winged figure was circling in the sky above them, his silhouette lit by the huge moon. The winged figure drew himself up, and Xiaoyu let out a hiss of dismay. The feathers she saw were as black as the night sky.  _ Not ready! So very not ready! _ her brain wailed as she grabbed a shocked Miharu and pulled her away from the railing. "We have to get out of here," she said worriedly. The sound of rushing air made her glance over her shoulder, and with a cry, she grabbed Miharu by the waist and threw both of them to the floor. A strong wind washed over the two, and then the sound of laughter filled the air.

"OH MY GOD!" Miharu screamed, her breath coming in short pants and her eyes wide with fright. "I'm dreaming! Tell me I'm dreaming!" she shrieked to Xiaoyu, who was craning her head wildly, trying to locate Devil Jin.

"The scent of your fear is so delicious," purred a voice as smooth as velvet from above. Xiaoyu looked up in dismay to see Jin's demonic form crouched on the tower, his clawed arms hanging on to the metal frame as he smiled down at the two girls. "I can almost taste it." Devil Jin paused and sniffed at the air, then a slow smile spread across his face. "I'm so glad that you brought me such a wonderful present, Xiaoyu."

Cold fear knotted in the pit of Xiaoyu's stomach as she heard him speak her name.  _ He never recognized me before… this can't be good. _ She stood shakily and took in the dark, majestic form that towered above her. The demonic aura pressed all around her, stifling her and trying to paralyze her, and with a pang of concern, Xiaoyu snuck a glance at her friend. Sure enough, Miharu, who had never before been in contact with the Mishima family curse, was frozen on the floor, her eyes wide and her pupils dilated, trembling with uncontrollable fear.

"Look how she cowers. Is she not weak?" Devil Jin smiled evilly and released his hold on the tower, twisting gracefully through the air to land a few feet in front of Xiaoyu, unfurling his wings as he slowly straightened. A mocking smile played across his face, his glowing eyes fixing on Xiaoyu. "You do not cower," he noted, his eyes slowly travelling up and down Xiaoyu's body before finally coming to rest on her face. She shivered, and he smiled, revealing pointed teeth. "Why are you different? Why do you not fear me?"

Xiaoyu swallowed, unable to answer.  _ Think bad thoughts… this isn't Jin, Xiaoyu, _ she told herself, trying to bring herself to act. Still, despite the black lines curling over his forehead, despite the horns and the claws and the wings, the creature still possessed Jin's beautiful, sculpted face, and she couldn't stop the blush that rushed to her face as he approached them.

His clawed fingers reached forward, stopping at her chest and wrapping around the chain necklace. He pulled it out and grinned as he regarded the white feather. "You shouldn't steal," he rumbled softly, stepping closer, ever closer to her and leaning in. She could feel his hot breath wash across her cheek, and her traitorous eyelids fluttered closed. "Is it love?" he said mockingly, his harsh voice twisting the word into something obscene. "Could you really love this body, now that you know what I truly am?" he growled.

_ What I truly am? _ Xiaoyu echoed silently.  _ This… this is Devil, teasing me again, but it is also Jin, asking me this question. _ It was unfair, she thought with a note of bitter surprise, unfair that the only time that she ever managed to reach Jin and truly talk to him was when the Devil possessed him, freeing him of his inhibitions. The thought chimed through her head like the clang of a temple bell, clearing the hazy fog that bathed her mind. And then she thought of Hwoarang.

"… _ just pretend it's me sayin' those things, then you can do what you need to do…" _

The confusion and uncertainty she felt was slowly being replaced by a dull, roaring anger. It sharpened exponentially as she felt Jin's tongue snake out and trail wetly across her cheek. Her eyes popped open, and her hands shot out in a double thrust, sending him flying backwards with a grunt of surprise.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, rubbing at her cheek furiously, trying to remove all traces of their contact. "Don't you dare touch me unless you mean it!" she cried, whipping her hands out into a defensive stance.

Jin growled and scrambled to his feet, his wings spreading wide and his eyes brightening with their unholy glow. "You would defy me?" he hissed, preparing to spring at her.

"Haah!" Julia's loud yell echoed between them as the Native American charged, dropping her shoulder and sending a closed fist flying into Jin's side. The blow connected, and the demon roared in pain, slashing with his claws as he staggered backwards. Julia dodged as quickly as she could, but the tips of his fingers caught on her arm, raking through the fabric of her sleeve and leaving four jagged welts on the skin underneath. Unphased, she spun quickly, her foot lashing out for a lightning kick to Jin's head.

The demon only laughed at her attack, catching her foot and using it to shove Julia back roughly, sending her careening across the floor past Xiaoyu and Miharu.

"Julia!" Xiaoyu cried, her head whipping around to follow the other girl's fall.

"Don't look at me," Julia grit out, coming to her feet quickly. "Watch out!" she cried, panic etched across her face as she struggled to her feet, lunging towards Xiaoyu clumsily in her haste.

Time seemed to slow down as Xiaoyu redirected her attention forward, already seeing in Julia's horrified expression what she knew would be approaching. She could feel her heartbeat thundering painfully against her ribcage, no longer with the girlish anticipation of before but now bona fide fear. And she turned and saw what the older girl tried to warn her of; it was the devil's attack. The symbols on his forehead writhed and twisted, awakening the third eye, the soul stealer, the curse that she had no idea how to fight. Jin's body tensed painfully, the muscles across his chest and arms bunching, and his head dropped forward, the demonic eye lighting with its red glow and spitting a deadly ray of light towards her.  _ Too late! _ her mind screamed, even as her hands came up in an automatic but futile gesture of self-defense.

A scream tore through the air, but it wasn't ripped from her own throat. Xiaoyu's eyes snapped open as an unnatural silence descended, with only the remnants of the piercing shriek ringing in her ears. She was frozen, trapped by a pair of wide brown eyes that were shocked, scared and brimming with unshed tears of confusion and dismay as they looked into her own.

"Xiao," Miharu choked, her hands clutching feebly at Xiaoyu's vest, caught in mid-air as she had tried to reach for her friend. Shock swept through Xiaoyu, her hands still caught around Miharu's waist from where the other girl had leapt in front of her.  _ Stupid, stupid Miharu! _ she wanted to scream.  _ This isn't one of our games! This is real! What were you thinking? _ The only sound that managed to work its way out of her surprised throat was a dry croak, and all too soon, time began to flow again. Miharu's eyes rolled upwards and she fainted, collapsing into Xiaoyu's numb arms.

Xiaoyu staggered under the weight, trying to lower her friend gently towards the ground. "Mi!" she yelled, gripping at the other girl's shoulders and feeling sick. Miharu's face had turned a sickly shade of white, and there was a gaping, sizzling wound on the back of her shoulder where Jin's attack had struck. "Miharu! Wake up!" Xiaoyu screamed again, shaking her friend as panic settled in and trying to ignore the smell of burned flesh that tainted the air.

A pair of strong hands pushed her aside, and Julia was there, rapidly peeling away at the burned clothing around Miharu's shoulder to treat the wound. "Deal with Jin," she said tightly, her eyes grim and never leaving Miharu's body.

"Is she going to be okay?" Xiaoyu asked, unable to stop the trembling in her hands.

"She's going into shock," Julia said curtly, removing her jacket and tearing off a good-sized chunk of her own shirt. Not pausing in her ministrations, her voice became commanding, laced with iron. "Take care of Jin,  _ now _ ."

Xiaoyu knew there was no time to argue. She tried to push away the image of Miharu's surprised visage, struggling to control the trembling in her fingers, and searched for Jin. She spotted him stumbling towards the railing, weakened from his attack, and without thinking, she charged. Jin whirled to face her, but she was already in the air, her arms extended, her feet smashing into his chest three times in rapid succession before using his body as a springboard, flipping herself backwards and landing a few feet away. She brought herself up quickly for another attack but froze, watching Jin stagger backwards.

Colour was shimmering through his wings once more, the black leeching away into pure white as the real Jin struggled for control. She approached him cautiously, uncertain as to whether Jin's angelic looking countenance was really any better than his demonic one. "Jin?" she said quietly and then held her breath, staying on guard.

His head turned towards her, and she saw with disappointment that his eyes still glowed and his face was still streaked with the black tattoos of his possession. The third eye was at least gone, though his face remained cold and closed to her. "I'm sorry, Xiaoyu," he said to her, his voice echoing with the taint of the devil.

Xiaoyu's hands tightened into fists, and she felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "Sorry? That's all you have to say for yourself,  _ sorry _ ?" she shot back at him, her emotions betraying her voice and causing it to catch and waver slightly.  _ Did his wings just droop a little more? Was there a flash of regret across his face? _ Xiaoyu drove these thoughts away as she advanced on him, replacing them with the image of Miharu's scared eyes, forever seared into her mind.

A soft, humourless chuckle escaped from Jin, and he turned his face away from her. He swung his legs onto the railing and perched there, extending his wings for balance, then glanced over his shoulder at Xiaoyu. "I can't stand sharing you with anyone else," he said lowly, and then leapt into the sky. Xiaoyu lunged after him, her hand reaching out to catch him but only closing on empty air. She barrelled into the railing painfully and grabbed onto it, leaning over and staring up at Jin's quickly shrinking form.

"How dare you!" she cried out, full of frustration and rage. "How dare you just show up and ruin everything and then leave me like this!" she screamed out, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. Seeing that he wasn't coming back, she slowly released the railing as her knees gave out and fell into a messy heap on the floor. "How could you?" she repeated again, this time brokenly.

The soft hum of chanting interrupted the turmoil crashing through her head, and with shock, Xiaoyu's eyes popped open. "Miharu!" she cried, scrambling to her feet and racing towards her friends. Julia was bent over Miharu's still form, her eyes closed and her hands clasped together. Xiaoyu skidded to a stop, falling to the ground beside the older girl and searching her friend's face with wide eyes. Her panic dimmed somewhat as she noticed the faint, regular rhythm of breath in Miharu's body, and she glanced up at Julia.

The Native American was still chanting in a language that Xiaoyu couldn't decipher, a sheen of sweat beading on her forehead. She waited for a few more moments, and then Julia finally stopped, releasing her hands and sinking onto her heels with exhaustion. "Get her phone and call the hospital," Julia said wearily, rubbing at her forehead with one hand.

"Is she going to be okay?" Xiaoyu asked worriedly, her hands already digging through Miharu's purse and pulling out the plastic cell phone. Julia ignored the question and remained silent as Xiaoyu rapidly tapped a few buttons and gave short, panicked directions to the operator on the other end of the line. Punching the phone off when she was done, she pinned Julia with her frightened stare, trying to will the minutes to pass by more quickly as they waited for the medical team to arrive. "What were you doing?" she asked the Native American, seeking Miharu's hand and squeezing it even though the other girl was unconscious.

"The wound is pretty bad," Julia began seriously, brushing her bangs away from her face. "Physically, there's not much I can do. It's a clean burn, so it's already been cauterized." Her frown deepened and she looked at Miharu, brushing her hand briefly across the young girl's forehead. "There's another problem, though."

Xiaoyu's hand tightened around Miharu's, and she looked at Julia searchingly. "What do you mean another problem?"

Julia sighed and looked up, meeting Xiaoyu's gaze. "There was something _ unclean _ about the devil's attack. That's the only way I can describe it. I think the demon feeds on the spiritual energy that he leeches from others…" Julia faltered, her eyes flicking away. "I tried to fight it, I prayed to the spirits for her. I think it might have helped a little."

"Helped against what?" Xiaoyu cried, dreading the other girl's answer.

"Her spirit is not strong enough to fight against this curse on her own. The doctors can treat her body, but her soul has been…" Julia hesitated, her eyes darting to Xiaoyu's pale face. "…damaged," she finished lamely. Seeing Xiaoyu's look of horror, she sighed and closed her eyes. "Without a soul, the body is just a shell. I'm sorry, Xiaoyu."

Xiaoyu remained silent, listening to the faint sounds of sirens as they drifted up from the city below. It didn't bring her any comfort; already, she knew that Miharu would not wake from her unnatural sleep. Carefully, she brushed a stray lock of wild hair away from the unconscious girl's face; Miharu had always been fastidious about her appearance. The thought of Miharu yelling in dismay at her own disarray twisted Xiaoyu's lips up slightly, but the half-smile quickly faded as she took in her best friend's slack, pale features.

"If we defeat the devil, we might be able to get Miharu's soul back," she said quietly. She didn't have to look up to sense Julia's agreement. But the decision didn't bring her any comfort. "Why do I have to choose?" she whispered bitterly. "Why do I always have to choose between Jin and everyone else?"  _ It's not fair, _ she wanted to scream out.  _  It's never fair! _

" _ Life isn't fair, Xiaoyu." _

This time, when she heard the echo of Jinrei's lessons in her head, it didn't bring her any comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I have been to Tokyo before, but only when I was very little. As such, I have absolutely no knowledge of what the inside of Tokyo Tower looks like. I'm guessing the top observation deck doesn't have windows, though, sorry if that's wrong. This was a pretty serious chapter; it was a little bit difficult to write. Sorry to all those Miharu fans out there, don't flay me, please! And reviewers - you guys make me write faster, I swear. THANK YOU SO MUCH!


	15. 14: Cyanide

"…  _ battles for the Fifth King of the Iron Fist Tournament, and let me tell you, never has been a more exciting one! Newcomer Asuka Kazama has stormed the Tournament with her daring stunts and confident attitude!" _

A picture of Asuka clapping her fist into her palm a few times flickered across the screen; her sunny, carefree grin was pointed directly at the cameras.

" _ Not to mention the return of some of our old favourites, performing solidly as expected." _

Kazuya glared at the screen, his red eye flashing before his fist rushed towards the camera, blacking out the screen.

" _ There have been some unexpected surprises along the way," _

Now it was Xiaoyu in the thick panda suit, wheeling through the air.

" _ And old rivalries waiting to be settled." _

Hwoarang smirked and grinned, daring his opponent to close in. The camera focused and zoomed in on the redhead; it then smoothly switched to a biography screen which showed the Korean at his most unflattering, with a strict military haircut and a scowl etched across his face. The usual facts and picture montages buzzed across the screen, and the announcer's voice drifted in and out across the room like a buzzing fly.

"…  _ defeated the mysterious Raven, shortly following that victory up with his success against the Capoeira bombshell Christie Monteiro. Today he was scheduled to face long time Japanese rival Jin Kazama,"  _ the announcer continued, and the camera cut to a shot of the Korean, who looked furious as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

" _ What the _ bleep  _ do you mean they can't find him? I've been _ bleep  _ waitin' for that _ bleep  _ to show up for two _ bleep  _ years! That _ bleep bleep  _ better get his  _ bleep bleep  _ down here before I  _ bleep bleep bleep _! And what the _ bleep  _ are you doin'? Get the _ bleep _ outta my face, ya  _ bleeeeeeeeeep _!" _

" _ As you can see, our spirited young Korean champion still hasn't lost his fiery attitude. The question is, who will Tae Kwon Do master Hwoarang face today now that Kazama has unexpectedly dropped out of the running?" _

A somber close-up of Jin passed across the screen, and then the T.V. winked out with a buzz. The remote flew through the air shortly afterwards, clattering against the screen noisily.

Xiaoyu sighed and slumped back into the chair in the hospital, glancing over at her pale friend. Miharu lay in the bed, her face schooled in the peaceful expression of sleep. Xiaoyu, however, knew better than to believe the doctor's report that hung off of the edge of the bed. She reached out and touched Miharu's arm gently. The reassuring warmth and pulse under her fingertips gave Xiaoyu hope, but when her eyes flickered closed and she tried to sense her friend's presence, all she could find was a gaping emptiness. Her hand dropped away and a tiny sigh escaped her. Miharu's body lay beside her, warm and alive, but without her soul to animate her form, it was like watching over a stranger wearing her best friend's face. Xiaoyu sprung up from her chair instantly as a quiet knock sounded on the door, and a small blush of shame spread across her face as she realized how eager she was to put some distance between herself and her injured friend.

"Xiaoyu?" Julia smiled briefly, waiting outside of the door. She held her hand out as Xiaoyu pulled up, preventing her from leaving the room completely. "We need to talk."

"How'd your meeting with Steve go?" Xiaoyu asked nervously. "Did you figure out what he wants from us? Did you get to beat him up?" she pressed with a note of hope.

"Well…" Julia began hesitantly, still holding Xiaoyu back.

"What's a matter with the girl?"

Xiaoyu's mouth dropped, and she pushed Julia out of the way and sprang into the hall. "You!" she said, pointing a finger as her face dropped into a frown. "What are you doing here?" she cried out.

Steve stepped away from the door where he had been peeking over Julia's shoulder and looked surprised. "'ey, 'ey, calm down there, luv," he said. "Why don't you let your friend explain things a bit."

Xiaoyu's eyebrows lifted and she whirled on Julia, who looked slightly flustered. Xiaoyu couldn't appreciate the rare moment of seeing her normally mature friend looking uncomfortable, however, because she was too busy seeing red. "What the heck is going on here?" she yelled, stomping her foot. A passing nurse glared at the trio angrily, and Xiaoyu bit her tongue. It didn't stop her from pinning Julia with an angry stare, demanding an explanation.

"It's not what it seems," Julia said tiredly, her hand coming up to her temples. "Steve's not trying to blackmail us, Xiaoyu. He just needs our help."

"Help?" she hissed, planting her hands on her hips and facing the blonde. "You want my help? With a set-up like that? I can't believe the nerve of you!" she whispered furiously. "Why should we help you, you threatened us!"

"Well, I 'ad to get your attention somehow," he said with a careless shrug. "Besides, it ain't important. We've got bigger fish to fry. Take a walk, ladies?" Without waiting, he began to stroll leisurely down the hallway, leaving the two girls behind.

"We have to follow him," Julia said quietly, pulling Xiaoyu along and striding after the boxer. Noticing her smaller companion's peeved expression, she was careful to put some distance between themselves as she spoke. "Steve has been working with the Hong Kong police force for months now, trying to find evidence of illegal research the Mishima Corporation has been conducting."

"Well why didn't he just say so in the first place?" Xiaoyu huffed, still looking annoyed. "He's not exactly endearing his cause to me right now. I've got more problems to worry about than some random guy's head hunting quest!"

Julia sighed and pushed Xiaoyu forward. "You don't understand, Xiaoyu. It's not just a vendetta." She glanced up, her eyes fixing on the broad shoulders of the British man in front of them. "He's searching for his family." Her voice caught as she said it, and her eyes grew compassionate.

Xiaoyu watched the transformation with a sense of dismay. "You know, your bleeding heart is going to ruin us one day," she said dryly. Still, if Julia believed that Steve's cause was one that deserved their attention, Xiaoyu knew there had to be a good reason behind it. She dropped her head in defeat and sighed loudly. "Fine, fine, we can help him too," she admitted reluctantly. "I don't see why we have to help him  _ right now _ though," she added as a last complaint.

"'ey! What are you two going on about?" Steve had stopped and was looking at the two girls over his shoulder suspiciously. He studied Julia's face momentarily and then rolled his eyes upwards. "Good god, woman, will you stop lookin' at me like a kicked puppy?" he groaned. Julia blushed and looked away, and Steve's eyes hardened frostily. "I don't need pity." He spared a glance at Xiaoyu, who was watching the exchange with interest. "Not from anyone," he said warningly.

Xiaoyu gulped and nodded, huffing a sigh of relief when Steve turned away from her. Then she snuck a glance at Julia, who was picking at her bangs nervously. That made her do a double take, and she stared at the Native American intently. "You're blushing!" she whispered loudly as she put her finger on the problem.

Julia spun around quickly, staring at Xiaoyu with her mouth open. "I am not blushing!" she answered curtly, though her face betrayed her.

"Really!" Xiaoyu giggled, covering her hand with her mouth and stealing another glance at Steve's back. "So  _ that's _ why you want to help him, huh? Are you sure you're not just  _ infatuated? _ " she teased, trying to hold back her snorts.

"Xiaoyu! I am not interested in him!" Julia said, her face turning bright red as she tried to shush the younger girl. "Be quiet before he hears and you embarrass us both!"

Getting her laughter back under control, Xiaoyu smiled brightly at the Native American. "Okay, okay, but I think this is great! Maybe he's the long lost love of your life! Maybe he's the yin to your yang! Hey, maybe he's even your secret admirer!" she continued excitedly, already spinning romantic epics involving her two hapless companions in her mind. Skipping out of Julia's suddenly predatory grasp, she pulled up alongside the boxer with a sunny smile, who eyed her suspiciously. "So, are you a fan of sumo wrestling?" Xiaoyu started, giving Steve an obvious wink.

"What?" he said incredulously, staring at Xiaoyu with bemusement.

"I'm sorry, Xiaoyu has been terribly upset by recent events," Julia huffed, catching up and grabbing the other girl's arm, twisting the skin on it in a discreet but painful pinch. "You'll have to forgive her lack of coherence. I'm sure it will pass," she finished thunderously, glaring at Xiaoyu with promises of very painful retribution if it didn't.

"Umm, yeah," Xiaoyu said, smirking at Julia and redirecting her attention to the blonde. "So why are we moving right now?" she asked curiously as they exited the hospital. Steve jostled them towards a waiting limousine, and they all piled in. "Hey, what's the big rush?" Xiaoyu asked as they pulled smoothly into the busy city traffic. Pressing her face against the window, she frowned at the streets that whizzed by. "We're going home," she observed after a few moments, leaning back in the seat and looking at Steve expectantly.

"Yes, we're returning to Mishima Corporation Headquarters," Julia answered, trading a short glance with the boxer and then leaning forward. No matter how much Xiaoyu's teasing flustered her, the tall girl could still quickly revert to her serious, professional attitude when she needed to. "I need to get inside the Corporation's biological research database to find my data, and Steve needs access to that same database, too. I'll be able to find the relevant data more quickly than either of you, and we could use another lookout if things get rough."

Xiaoyu nodded in understanding. "And I'm the one who's going to let you both in," she finished. "I'm not sure where they store the computers, but there's bound to be something on the top floor. Kazuya likes to keep everything important in arm's reach," she explained. She pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "But why right now?" she asked.

"Because o' that stunt Jin Kazama pulled," Steve answered with a half-smile. "It's very convenient for us," he noted. Unfortunately, the oblivious blonde didn't notice Julia's warning glance or Xiaoyu's flinch at the mention of Jin's disappearance. "OWW!" he yelled as Julia's pointed boot came into contact with his shin. "What the bloody 'ell was that for?" he growled at her, rubbing his leg.

Julia ignored him, leaning over and resting her hand on Xiaoyu's own. "I'm sorry, but it has to be this way, Xiaoyu. The entire Corporation is in chaos right now searching for Jin. Combined with the additional publicity Hwoarang is making with his protests about the Tournament, it's the perfect time to strike."

"I haven't even told him about our last encounter with Jin," Xiaoyu mumbled guiltily, staring out of the window as her fingers dropped automatically to the pendant around her neck.

"'ang on there, luv, are you saying you know where Jin Kazama is?" Steve said, leaning forward with a look of interest.

"No," Xiaoyu answered truthfully. She glanced at Julia, and then turned away, studying the sky through the tinted limo windows apprehensively. "He'll come back though," she added softly. "He'll finish what he started. Jin always does that."  _ But will I be prepared this time? _ she asked herself, uncertain of the answer.

Steve opened his mouth to question her, but Julia silenced the boxer with a hand to his knee, giving a minute shake of her head. "Fine," he said after a moment, letting the matter drop.

Some time later, the limo pulled up to the huge skyscraper, and the trio stepped out. Xiaoyu paused, looking uncertainly at Steve. "I can get Julia past the elevator guards, but they're never going to believe I invited  _ you _ for a sleepover," she said nervously.

Steve shrugged carelessly. "Don't worry about it," he said with a half smile. "I'll take care o' that problem when we get to it."

Gulping, Xiaoyu pushed open the lobby doors and held her head high, striding towards the private elevators as though it were just another visit. She stopped before the lift and pressed the button, ignoring the two guards as usual. The bell rung and the doors slid open, and Xiaoyu passed through easily. The click of metal, however, alerted her to a slight problem, and she turned to see the guards holding their machine guns across the elevator entrance, blocking Julia and Steve's progress. "Hey!" she protested, leaning out and addressing one of the men. "What's the hold up? These are my friends!"

"I'm sorry, miss, but we're under strict orders. No unauthorized personnel are to enter the building without approval from Kazuya Mishima himself."

"I knew that!" Xiaoyu exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. "Of course they're allowed inside! Do you think we'd just stroll in here and try to go upstairs without permission?" She held her breath nervously as the guard appraised her, then shrugged at his other companion.

"I'll radio this one in, we'll see if she's telling the truth," he said.

"No need for that," Steve said, smiling and leaning forward. "See, me and the girl 'ave your approvals right 'ere," he added, reaching for his jacket pocket and giving Julia a meaningful glance.

"Oh! Yes, just a moment," Julia said hesitantly, moving towards the other guard.

Xiaoyu gave a little internal groan of despair and quickly latched onto the guards' guns, which were still crossed before her. She pulled them into the elevator with all the force she could muster, and as she did, Steve and Julia lunged, knocking the guards inside with them. Xiaoyu scooted out of the way, positioning herself in front of the elevator doors and stabbing the button for her floor repeatedly. Behind her, the muffled sound of fists meeting flesh assured her of the guards' fate. The whole process was short, quick, and surprisingly discreet, but Xiaoyu still heaved a huge sigh of relief as the doors clicked shut and the elevator began its ascent.

"Was that really necessary?" Julia began as she cracked her wrists and glared at Steve balefully. "The last time I was here, I just used the staircase."

"Up sixty-seven flights?" Xiaoyu exclaimed, her mouth dropping open.

"No, I just went up a few flights and broke into the maintenance system. You can ride the elevators on the outside too, you know. It's much easier than climbing up the entire way…" She paused and her eyes darted around the room, stopping on the control panel. Then with a grunt she dived forward, striking it soundly with her fist. The elevator lights flickered and there was the sound of splintering glass, but their ascent continued uninterrupted. "And there are less cameras," she finished, shaking her fist out and flexing her fingers.

"Sometimes the direct way's the best, luv," Steve said carelessly, smiling as he inspected the ruined camera lens that had been hidden behind the now-shattered dark glass. The smile dropped as he watched Julia reach over one of the unconscious guards and fumble with his helmet. With a small grunt, she managed to pull it off and flip the piece of armour onto her lap. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her small red army knife, flipping it open and fiddling with helmet's interior. "What're you doing?" he asked, peering over her shoulder.

Julia paused and looked up, giving Steve a pointed stare. "You're in my light," she said, glaring at the boxer until he moved away. With a small sigh, she turned back to the helmet and resumed toying with it. "The guard said he was going to radio it in. Since he wasn't holding a walkie talkie, I assume there must be a module built into his helmet." There was a click, then a ripping sound, and Julia smiled briefly and pulled off the headset, picking away at a few small pieces of foam. She quickly donned the metal and wire contraption, pulling the microphone away from her mouth and holding the receiver to her ear. After a few moments, she nodded quickly at her companions. "They haven't been alerted to our presence yet. Unless we get to the observation room quickly, though, they're going to start asking questions." Quickly, she kneeled down and relieved the other guard of his helmet, handing it to the boxer. "In case he wakes up," she explained.

"You guys," Xiaoyu said warningly as the elevator slowed down. "We're stopping on my floor. There shouldn't be any guards waiting outside." The doors slid open, and Xiaoyu turned around to come face to face with a guard. There was a moment of surprised silence, then Xiaoyu giggled. "Umm, I can explain?" she tried.

"Duck!" yelled Steve, and Xiaoyu did as instructed. There was a metallic clank, and then a loud thump as the guard toppled over into the hallway. The boxer stepped over his fallen victim and lifted the limp body slightly with the toe of his shoe. "You're right, luv, it  _ was _ useful!" he grinned, tossing the badly-dented helmet back inside of the elevator.

Julia rolled her eyes and dragged the third guard into the elevator, also relieving him of his radio. "We have to jam this," she said, pressing the stop button. "Let's take the stairs, like before," she instructed, and gestured for Xiaoyu to lead.

The trio sprinted down the corridor, Xiaoyu guiding them around the corridors and to the stairwell. When they emerged at the top, she halted and held her two companions back. "I only know where Kazuya's office is," she said nervously. "I've never been anywhere else on this floor. The observation room has got to be around here somewhere, though."

"There's only one way to find out," Julia said, crouching and holding the earpiece in place. "They're starting to wonder about the elevator. We have to move fast. This way!" She took charge and led them down the corridor, keeping the earpiece in place.

"She says that like she actually knows where she's going," Steve said with a grin on his face. "I like that in a woman."

Xiaoyu made a face at the boxer. "Excuse me, could you possible choose a  _ worse _ time to flirt with her?" she exclaimed with irritation.

"Shh," Julia commanded, kneeling against one of the walls and peering around the corner. She smiled briefly and motioned the others back. "They're sending someone to investigate in the secondary elevator. We have about two minutes, maybe more before they find out. But I think I found the command center. One door, two guards, and they're still not on alert." She turned to face the others. "Do we have a pla—"

Xiaoyu stood up and pushed past her, jumping into the hallway. "Hey there!" she calling out, waving at the guards. "I'm bored, let's play hide and seek!" Jumping around, she slapped her butt and laughed, then ran away. "Can't catch me!" she yelled over her shoulder.

"Great plan!" Steve said as he jumped to his feet, and smirking he drew his fist back and waited for Xiaoyu to pass by. He struck the first guard that rounded the corner squarely in the face, the force of his punch sending the man flying backwards. The other guard had time only to make a strangled gurgle before Steve lay into him with a couple of rapid jabs to the stomach, then a powerful uppercut. "Let's move," he said, charging towards the control room doors. He flung them open and paused, taking in the lone, unarmoured operator who sat in front of a computer inside. "Frightful lack of security you 'ave 'ere," he joked, before yanking the man out of his chair and hurling him against the wall. "Clear!" he yelled out, and the two girls entered the room.

Julia wasted no time, seating herself before the softly glowing monitor. Her fingers tapped rapidly across the keyboard, and shortly after a red light pulsed on one of the screens in the wall in front of them. "I've disabled the elevators in the entire building and deactivated the alarm. That should buy us some time," she mentioned, her eyes never leaving the screen. "This is perfect. The security system connects to the central database. I think I can tap into the network straight from here."

Xiaoyu ignored her, her wide eyes taking in the countless screens mounted on the wall. The pictures flickered and switching from room to room at regular intervals, and she wondered how anyone could monitor the vast amount of area that was being covered. Her mouth dropped open as a view of the interior of her own room flashed by. "Those JERKS!" she raged, her hand tightening into a fist. "When I see Kazuya, I'm going to kill him!" She whirled around and crossed her arms, prepared to continue, and the air left her chest in a great rush.

Staring back at her through the flickering monitor was Heihachi's unmistakable visage. The network of lines that crisscrossed across his face appeared to have deepened, as did the scowl that pulled down the corners of his mouth. He glared at the camera briefly, then turned around and continued his silent argument with someone else in the room. The monitor flickered, and the old man was gone, just as suddenly as he had appeared. Drained of her anger, Xiaoyu dropped her head and leaned against one of the desks in the room.

"'ey, are you alright, luv?" She looked up to see Steve eyeing her suspiciously.

_ This is no time to be going soft, _ Xiaoyu, she reminded herself. Heihachi was no longer a part of her family, and, she distantly realized, never would be. She swallowed and gave the boxer a small grin. "Just saying goodbye," she told him quietly.

A soft curse brought their attention back to Julia, who was staring at the screen in frustration. "I managed to access the biological research data, but there's yet another security lock on the files we need! I don't understand, this was supposed to be the back door. That man must be paranoid," she mumbled out loud.

"Kazuya?" Xiaoyu asked. "Paranoid isn't exactly the first adjective I'd use," she quipped.

"Well, this one looks like Kazuya's private password, he must have put it here himself." She grimaced and her fingers raced across the keyboard. "It's pretty simplistic. I can get past it without any trouble, but then they'll know we've been delving," she said. "We have three guesses. Does anyone have an idea?" she asked.

"Old Uncle Buck," Steve said with a rude smirk.

"I was being serious," Julia answered, peering at him disapprovingly over the top of her glasses. She turned to Xiaoyu. "Even if we don't get it, we have to try. Can you come up with anything, anything at all?"

Xiaoyu scrunched her nose and closed her eyes, thinking about Kazuya and trying to come up with a possible solution.  _ Jerk, _ she thought first.  _ Cruel. Power-hungry. Heartless. _ She paused on the last one, thinking about their recent conversation in the elevator. "Try Jun," Xiaoyu said. She looked up expectantly, but Julia only sighed and shook her head. Frowning, she scratched her cheek and thought about it again. The feather pendant glowed softly in the monitor lights, catching her eye. She remembered Jin's white-winged figure. "Angel?" she asked, holding her breath.

"No good," Julia said after a moment. "We have one more chance."

Xiaoyu cupped the feather in her hands and closed her eyes. Again, she felt as though she was standing before the puzzle, trying to make her hopelessly crooked piece fit into the straight lines. "The answer is right here," she murmured, going over the conversation in her mind once more.

" _ This heart will never know love again." _

She cracked an eye open and peered at the feather. It was pure and white, and though she knew better, it appeared to be free of the demonic taint that had produced it. "Redemption," she said softly.

The soft tapping of the keyboard filled the air, then there was short pause followed by a beep. "We're in." Julia typed rapidly, then sucked in her breath. "Here it is!" she said, her voice trembling with excitement. "It's all here, everything I was working on, and even more!"

"Fine, fine," Steve said irately, watchfully keeping an eye on the door. "What about me data?"

"I'm working on it," Julia bit out, scanning the screen. Removing a small stick from her pocket, she carefully inserted into the computer and began downloading the information. "I don't understand," she murmured as she scanned the files. "This is my data, but it doesn't look like they were using it for botanical research." She squinted at the screen with a troubled look. "In fact, it looks like they're trying to apply my research to human DNA."

"What?" Steve's voice had turned husky, and his eyes were hard blue chips of ice in his face, which had gone paler than normal. "Tell me more."

Obliviously, Julia kept her eyes fixed on the screen, typing away. "They were manipulating the data to try and stimulate growth in organic matter. This… this is revolutionary," Julia gasped. "It looks like they've been working on this sort of data for years now! The formula still requires a human donor to provide the original material, but they've managed to clone various parts of the body from just a few cells!" Her eyes glowed with pride. "I can't believe it! They're using my data to grow organs! Why on earth haven't they gone public with this? It could change the face of medicine as we know it—" Her exclamation was cut short as Steve shoved her out of the way, his eyes wild and his mouth drawn into a thin line. "What are you doing?" she asked angrily.

"Pull up the ongoing experiments," he growled humourlessly. "I need to see."

Julia stared at him for a moment, then nodded and typed rapidly. "Here… they keep records of failed experiments, too. It appears that they had a major success almost twenty-one years ago. Wait a second, there's a visual…" Her voice trailed off as the image was pulled onto the screen. "Oh…oh no," she murmured quietly.

Steve had gone stiff beside her, his eyes glued to the screen.

"What? Oh no what?" Xiaoyu interrupted, sneaking away from the door where she had taken watch and peering at the screen. "What's the big deal? That's just a picture of a baby!" she observed.

"Is that—" Julia began, cautiously sparing a glance at Steve.

He sneered and pushed away from the table, carelessly knocking some of the papers off. "Just get the location of the laboratories," he ground out. Then he shook his head and closed his eyes, holding a hand up to his forehead.

Julia nodded mutely and finished dumping the data onto her stick. Quickly, she tapped a few codes in and then stood up, retrieving the device and pocketing the valuable information. "I let loose a few dormant viruses in the system. By the time they realize we were snooping around, they'll have bigger problems to deal with," she said. "Let's get out of here."

Xiaoyu nodded and began to leave the room. She stopped, noticing that no one had followed her, and looked over her shoulder. "Hello? What's taking so long?" she asked. A feeling of dread overtook her as she realized Julia was staring worriedly at Steve. "Is everything okay?" she asked timidly.

An unnatural, high-pitched laugh forced its way out of Steve's throat. "Okay?" he repeated, cracking his eyes open. The look of madness in them made Xiaoyu take a large step back. "Okay?" he said again, his voice rising. "Nothing is  _ okay _ !" he shouted, launching himself forward and grabbing the chair Julia had sat in.

"Steve, I don't think—" Julia tried, then ducked as the chair went whizzing over her head and smashed into the monitors.

"Thinking! 'ow can you think, for fuck's sake! You know what they do! You know what they did to me!" he roared, tearing the computer monitor free from the table and smashing it into another wall. Sparks flew from the contact, and a few caught on the papers strewn across the floor, smouldering dangerously.

"There's no time for this!" Julia yelled, losing her patience. "You're going to attract the guards if you lose control of yourself here! Now pull yourself together!" She reached out, grabbing Steve by the shoulder, and let out a cry of pain and surprise as he whirled suddenly, striking her with the back of his hand. It wasn't just a small slap to the face, but a powerful boxing champion's hit, and it sent the Native American flying to the floor.

Xiaoyu rushed to Julia's side, lifting the other girl up and turning her head. A nasty red welt was quickly spreading across her cheek, promising to turn a brilliant shade of yellow and purple later on. Julia glasses were broken, and dazedly, she pulled them off of her face. "Get the radio," she said to Xiaoyu, blinking with obvious disorientation and trying to focus her eyes.

Steve took a moment to stare at the two girls in wild-eyed anger, and then he swore and dropped his head, punching at the wall and shattering the last remaining monitor.

"You stop it!" Xiaoyu yelled at him, helping Julia to her feet and handing her back the broken device. "I don't know what the heck's wrong with you, but we're getting out of here! If you have any brains left in that head of yours, you'll follow us!" she growled, and made her way out of the room.

"I have bad news," Julia interrupted, holding the radio to her ear. "They've figured us out. They're sending a full compliment of Force guards this way to investigate the problem. Stairs are not an option!" Her eyes narrowed, and she spoke hurriedly. "The ones on this floor are approaching from the west wing. We've got to make it to the maintenance shafts before they find us!"

"Let's go!" Xiaoyu said, grabbing Julia and dragging her down the hallway. The sound of pounding feet filled the corridor behind them, and then she heard a shout.

"Shite!" she heard Steve yell, and they dove around a corner. The whistling sound of bullets followed their progress, and Xiaoyu screeched.

"Holy cow! They never fired on me before!" she yelled, taking the lead and dodging around another corner. They came to an elevator shaft, and Xiaoyu punched at the button, forgetting in her panic that the elevators had been disabled.

"That's not going to work!" Julia yelled, scanning the corridor. Spotting a fire hydrant, she pulled it off of the wall with a grunt of effort and began to slam it against the metal doors, trying to force them open.

"No good, ladies," Steve warned them, drawing his fists into his boxing stance. The first of the Tekken Force rounded the corner and he lashed out with a quick punch, driving the soldier back into another guard.

"Move!" Julia yelled, reversing her grip on the hydrant and aiming the nozzle at the incoming flux of guards. The chemical retardant rushed out from the canister with an explosive burst, confusing a few more of the guards and driving them backwards. It wasn't going to hold for long, however, and they all knew it. "Get a gun!" Julia yelled, slowly advancing forward.

"I can't kill people!" Xiaoyu yelled in a panic, dropping into her defensive crouch.

"Listen, luv, they'd 'ave no problems killing you," Steve answered, grabbing the machine gun from the guard he had felled.

"Don't shoot the people!" Julia shouted, exasperated. Leaping backwards, she tossed the can high into the air. "Shoot the hydrant, dammit!"

The blonde took aim and fired, hitting the airborne canister with more than a few rounds. With a high whine, the compressed air inside exploded outwards, sending it flying in a billow of white smoke towards the Tekken Force guards and knocking them over like bowling pins.

Coughing, Julia waved some smoke away and pointed at the elevator once more. "That shaft is our only chance," she grit out. "We have to get that door open!"

Xiaoyu blinked and squinted, and being nearest to the door, she reached out to push at them. Her hand came into contact with nothing, however, and overbalancing, she let out a scream as she pitched forward into the elevator shaft. Her fall was stopped by a rough arm, which caught her and tossed her back into the hall. Coughing, she strained to see through the smoke and darkness. "What?" she mumbled in confusion as Julia and Steve came to her side.

"Mmmmm," came the answer as a dull glow swung slowly in the shaft. Two red specks came into focus out of the darkness, and Xiaoyu let out a squeak of relieved surprise as she recognized the cyborg's face.

"Yoshimitsu!" she yelled, springing to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

The cyborg's eyes flashed eerily as he hung from the cable in the shaft, his sword dangling loosely in his other arm. "Danger behind. Safety below. Follow!" he commanded, throwing a length of steel cable that he had cut from one of the elevator's wires towards Steve.

"What the devil can I use this for?" the boxer said, looking at the metal string with a baffled expression.

"Just follow me," Julia answered with a note of irritation as she caught the cable Yoshimitsu tossed at her. Stepping back, a look of determination crossed her face, and then with a yell, she leapt into the shaft, catching onto the long cable and swinging precariously. Working quickly, she looped her own cable a few times around each wrist and then caught it on steel wire that she was hanging off of. She planted her feet against the wire and looked back at the others briefly. "See you downstairs," she said with a grim smile, and then let go, using her weight to pull the cable from her wrists taunt against the elevator line. With a loud screech and a spectacular flash of sparks, she was gone, sliding down the shaft like a gung-ho mountain climber.

"Bloody 'ell," Steve mumbled, looking down at the shaft. Then with a shrug, he leapt into the pit and repeated Julia's motions. "Better than stickin' around here and getting shot," he said, and let go.

Xiaoyu leaned into the shaft and looked down. The faint sparks trailing from Julia and Steve's descent quickly faded from view, and she swallowed nervously. "You know, I don't have any gloves on," she said with trepidation.

"Yoshimitsu warned of this," the cyborg answered blithely, still dangling from the cable.

"What? You mean you're just going to leave me here?" Xiaoyu screamed furiously. A strange, low rumbling sound emerged from Yoshimitsu's throat. After a moment of consideration, Xiaoyu realized it was laughter. "What's so funny?" she yelled, anger beginning to overtake the panic.

Not deeming the question worthy of an answer, he simply leapt away from the wire and grabbed Xiaoyu, then tipped over backward into the shaft. As they fell away, Xiaoyu let out a scream of terror, feeling her ponytails whip upwards as the wind rushed by her ears. Yoshimitsu only laughed louder, skilfully manoeuvring their fall to avoid the dangerous cables that swung in the shaft. After a few moments, he curled around and with a sudden jerk, released his wings, which beat rapidly through the air with an insect-like buzz.

"I bet you thought that was funny," Xiaoyu scowled as she clutched onto the cyborg's body for dear life.

"Mmmmmm," Yoshimitsu hummed in agreement, though his cybernetic face lacked the ability to laugh.

Gradually their mad descent slowed, and soon they caught up with Steve and Julia, who had already landed on the elevator that was trapped in the shaft. Julia gave a yell of satisfaction as she managed to prop open the emergency exit on the elevator and wriggled into it. The motley group of criminals piled into the elevator cabin, and with a few slashes of his sword, Yoshimitsu cleared a path for them to exit onto the floor and into the stairwell.

"This is some luck, we're directly above the lobby. It's still going to be swarming with Tekken Force guards, though," Julia observed as they made their way down the steps.

"Mmmmm," Yoshimitsu said, leaping ahead and landing with a surprisingly soft clang before the heavy door to the exit. "You are prepared?" he asked them.

"Ready as ever, gov," Steve said, cracking his knuckles.

Julia briefly dropped her head in a silent prayer, then nodded.

"I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to everyone," Xiaoyu groaned miserably, then gave Yoshimitsu a quick nod of agreement.

"You will come with me," Yoshimitsu said, fixing his burning gaze on Xiaoyu. "Others must find their own path."

"What do you me—eep!" Xiaoyu squeaked as Yoshimitsu once again unceremoniously grabbed her and kicked open the door. As they stormed into the lobby, he flung three small metal balls onto the floor. They exploded with soft puff, rapidly filling the air with thick coloured smoke.

"Xiaoyu!" Julia's cry faded quickly in the disorder that followed as Yoshimitsu sprung through the air, dragging Xiaoyu with him. Blurs of colour and sound followed the shouts of confusion, and then they burst forth out of the lobby, the cyborg immediately taking flight as soon as he saw sky.

The ground spiralled away from Xiaoyu quickly, and she closed her eyes as dizzying vertigo struck. She concentrated on sucking her breath in and out, trying to ignore the jolts of pain or blast of air that hinted at the altitude and speed that the cyborg was travelling at. After what seemed like a lifetime, she felt a shift in Yoshimitsu's weight, and then the stomach-churning sensation of a quick descent. Their feet touched solid earth, and Xiaoyu collapsed to the ground unsteadily when Yoshimitsu released her. "Oh my God!" she wheezed, forcing her eyes open. "You make Hwoarang's bike look tame!" Sparing a glance at her now-twice saviour, she smiled at the cyborg unsteadily. "Thanks for saving our bacon back there," she said to him earnestly.

"No time for thanks," Yoshimitsu rumbled, crouching down next to her. "You are here for a reason. You must make a decision."

"Eh?" Xiaoyu said, pushing herself onto her hands and knees. "What do you mean?"

"Your friend is in danger," Yoshimitsu answered, helping her to her feet.

"Miharu? I know, I have to find Jin," Xiaoyu began, but trailed off as she looked over the edge of the rock ledge Yoshimitsu had deposited her upon. Below her spread the remains of a long-abandoned graveyard, and faintly, she marvelled at the speed with which the cyborg had managed to bring her out of central Tokyo. "Where are we?" she asked nervously.

"Observe," Yoshimitsu commanded, and gestured at the graveyard vaguely.

Scanning through the traditional gate and the burial mounds, she gasped as she recognized a shock of bright red hair moving through them. "Hwoarang!" she said. "I can't believe he's stepping on those graves!" she added angrily.

"There is danger here," the cyborg warned her. "Do not observe with eyes alone."

Sensing the gravity in Yoshimitsu's tone, Xiaoyu gulped and closed her eyes, trying to still her rapidly beating heart. The wind picked up, and she listened, straining to hear or smell or sense anything out of the ordinary. The unnatural silence suddenly became oppressive, and a niggling tug of fear crawled up her spine.  _ There is something here, something evil _ .  _ But I don't understand… it's not the devil. This is something else, something colder… _ A low, mirthless chuckle drifted up from the graveyard, and Xiaoyu's eyes flew open. Standing before Hwoarang was a pale man, his body criss-crossed with scars and bullet wounds. The laughter was coming from his throat, and it died out as the two men exchanged verbal jabs.

"Who is that?" she whispered, the ice-cold fear clawing its way up from her stomach and to her throat.

"Not dead, but not alive. His only purpose is to kill those who stand in his way. He has reached this goal many times over." Yoshimitsu's metallic voice was as monotonous as ever, but she sensed the bitterness behind his words. "Look who stands before him now, see who blocks the path of Fury," he added, pointing.

And there, preparing for his next match, was Hwoarang, oblivious to it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Agh, this chapter was also difficult. You know why? STEVE, that's why. I'm going to make him go through a parody of My Fair Lady before I give him any more important dialogue. For those who want to know what 'Uncle Buck' means, rhyme it up. And I know, elevator repelling is not very realistic. Well what the hell, neither is a flying insecticidal cyborg. ;-) To reviewers, I will answer you all, I promise, I've just been strapped for time. Thank you for leaving your comments, I appreciate it!
> 
> EDIT: so many little errors in this chapter… hopefully all fixed now. Never post without at least 3 proofs.


	16. 15: Fire Dancer

_ Faster, faster! _ Xiaoyu gasped to herself as she tripped over the pebbles and loose stones on her way down the rocky hillside. Her headlong rush came to a messy stop as she hopped through the graves, attempting to avoid stepping on any of the small mounds around her feet. "Hwoarang!" she yelled, jogging towards the redhead. As if in answer, a small spurt of green flame exploded a few feet away, and Xiaoyu jumped with a tiny scream.

"Hey, so you came after all!" Hwoarang had turned away from his opponent and was casually strolling towards her, a lopsided smile on his face. "Guess you couldn't resist me after all," he joked. Seeing Xiaoyu's look of panic, a momentary wariness crossed his face. "Don't tell me you're still mad about that panda thing—"

"This is not about the panda costume!" Xiaoyu exploded, throwing her hands up into the air. "Don't you notice  _ anything _ a little strange here right now?" she yelled at the tall redhead. As she spoke, a raven cawed overhead and another few spurts of sickly green flame exploded around them.

"Strange?" Hwoarang said, glancing around and rubbing the back of his head. "Well, you're here," he pointed out helpfully. "Why, do you  _ feel _ something again?" he teased, wiggling his fingers at Xiaoyu and making whoo-ing sounds. "OWW! Shit!" he yelled a moment later as Xiaoyu's open palm came into contact with his forehead in a direct frontal slap.

"Wake up, you idiot!" Xiaoyu fumed, waving her arms at the graveyard all around them. "Does this place look normal to you? What about the graves? What about the sky? What about all this green fire? What about that human pincushion?" she yelled, pointing behind Hwoarang at the tall white-haired man, who was simply standing there with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

Hwoarang scowled and glanced at their surroundings cluelessly. "What the hell's your problem, anyway? The Corp always pulls out the big guns for their Tournament stages." He grinned as another spurt of the unhealthy green flame flared close to their feet. "It's all a big show and you know it. So unless you see that winged freak of nature flying by, stop wiggin' out on me. I have a fight to win!"

Xiaoyu recoiled, her hand automatically reaching for the pendant around her neck. "What did you just call him?" she said incredulously. "You saw Jin yourself. You know he's fighting it! How could you say something horrible like that?" she shrieked.

Hwoarang paused, his eyes dropping to the feather around Xiaoyu's neck, and his mouth pulled down into an ugly grimace. "Still sticking up for him, huh?" he said stiffly. "Well guess what, Sunshine. That bastard copped out on our fight like the coward he is," he spat. "He nearly killed us both, and he didn't even have the guts to show up and keep his promise, but you're still holding a goddamned torch for him!" He crossed his arms and turned his head away, glaring furiously at the graves. "You're just as fuckin' messed up as he is, you know that?" he muttered under his breath.

Xiaoyu opened her mouth to reply hotly, and then paused.  _ "Are you sure…" _ Julia's voice whispered in her ear, conjuring her inner demons and questions. She looked down at the feather, still clutched tightly in her palm, and forced her fingers to loosen. It glowed, soft, pure and white, and yet all she could think about was Miharu's scared eyes, begging her for an answer. "I don't love him," she said quietly, letting the pendant drop to her chest.

Hwoarang glanced back at Xiaoyu, a look of surprise on his face. "What?" he said dumbly.

Xiaoyu narrowed her eyes and glared at Hwoarang. "I said, I don't love him," she answered loudly. "I'm still going to help him, though, because he's my friend. If you're too pig-headed and egotistical to see past the front of your own nose, that's not my problem. But you don't have to go around insulting other people just because  _ you _ don't always get what you want!" she yelled angrily. "I know this is going to come as a shock to you, but you're not the center of the universe, Hwoarang! In fact, I think you're a bigger crybaby than me! You just cover it up with swearing!" Xiaoyu finished, pointing her finger at the Korean.

This did get a reaction out of Hwoarang, who grit his teeth. "Did you just call me a whiner, you little brat?" he growled.

Xiaoyu's temper reached a peak, and she planted her hands on her hips and sucked in a huge breath in preparation, all thoughts of the spooky graveyard banished from her mind. "WELL EXCUSE ME FOR TELLING THE TRUTH!" she screamed, her face flushing red. "You just did it again, you big fat jerk! I am not a brat! So maybe I'm not as mature as Julia or as nice as Asuka! So maybe I don't dress as well as Christy! And maybe I don't have her  _ assets, _ " she sputtered angrily, gesturing at her chest. "That doesn't mean I'm a little kid! And if you keep treating me like one, I swear, you're going to regret it!" She opened her mouth to continue, and paused with annoyed confusion as she saw that Hwoarang was laughing. "What's so funny?" she shouted at him.

"You," Hwoarang said smugly, a look of satisfaction settling across his face. "Now who's the one that's jealous?" He laughed again as Xiaoyu began to sputter in protest. "So, you wanna kiss me now, or wait until after I win?" he grinned, tilting his head towards her.

Little white explosions of fury flashed before Xiaoyu's eyes. "Why you…!" she growled, reaching back and sending another palm flying towards Hwoarang's forehead. To her surprise, he caught her wrist and deftly twisted it downward, drawing her in. He leaned forward, and Xiaoyu stopped struggling as the long fringes of his red hair brushed against her face. "You don't need to be jealous," he murmured. "I like you the way you are." Xiaoyu felt her face go red and stared at Hwoarang with wide eyes. He smiled, adding one last word. "Brat."

Xiaoyu blinked, the amusement in Hwoarang's eyes finally registering, and with a grunt and a twist, she freed her palm and managed to smack the Korean across the forehead with her other hand. "Jerk," she swore half-heartedly, noting that her strike had failed to remove the grin plastered across his face.

"Are you done flirting?" rumbled a deep voice disgustedly.

Hwoarang and Xiaoyu whirled to face the speaker, the muscular man crisscrossed with scars. "Keep your pants on, Fury," Hwoarang said carelessly, shrugging off Bryan's stony glare. "You'll get your chance to lose soon." He turned back to Xiaoyu and grinned carelessly. "Get outta the way, Sunshine. This won't take long."

Xiaoyu swallowed, Yoshimitsu's warning coming back to her in full force. "Wait, Hwoarang. Please, I don't want you to fight him. There's just something  _ wrong _ here!" she hissed. "There's something wrong with  _ him! _ " she said, gesturing discreetly towards the white-haired man who was now grinning at them.

Hwoarang cracked his knuckles together and swivelled his shoulders, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I'm not gonna forfeit this tournament just 'cause you have a bad feeling," he said curtly. "Now get back." He gave Xiaoyu a none-too-gentle shove, and she stumbled backwards, yelping in surprise as her foot came into contact with one of the sickly green flames. It didn't burn like fire, but chilled her to the bone, and she quickly jumped away. She groaned in horror as she realized she had landed on yet another grave, and tried to settle herself comfortably amid the stones. "Sorry," she mumbled apologetically to the grave markers around her.

"So, boy. You're ready to fight?" Bryan asked, his lips curling into a grin. His hair was a shock of white, and his skin had an unhealthy pallor that was only accented by the dark tattoo on his neck and his snakeskin pants. Scars and bullet wounds stood out on his chest like sickly badges of honour, and his clear blue eyes were cold and calculating. Xiaoyu couldn't repress the shudder than ran down her spine at the sight of the huge man, and she wondered privately how Hwoarang could be so dense.

"I'm always ready to fight," Hwoarang answered with a lazy grin, taking up his stance and bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Wonder if you're ready to lose," he laughed.

"Why keep you waiting, then?" Bryan answered, the smile never leaving his face. "Come on," he said, raising his knee in a mocking half-kick.

"I like your style," Hwoarang answered with a sharp grin, and then gracefully spun around, jumping into a reverse of his stance. He stretched out his long legs and slid forward smoothly, quickly closing the distance between himself and his adversary and lashed out with his right leg. His foot connected against Bryan's chest solidly, and leaping into the air, he twisted around and drove the back of his left heel into the other man's head. There was a loud crack as the blow connected, and Bryan flew backwards, tumbling to the ground from the strike. "I think I'll enjoy beatin' you," Hwoarang finished with a laugh as he landed. He turned around and gave Xiaoyu a careless shrug. "See? No problem," he yelled at her.

A bell chimed overhead, and the announcer's voice broke through the yard. "Fight twenty-five of the fifth King of the Iron Fist Tournament, Bryan Fury versus Hwoarang." The announcement was overridden by the sound of a low chuckle as Bryan rose to his feet and cracked his neck.

"Good shot," he said to Hwoarang, striding forward as if nothing had happened.

"Fight!" said the announcer rather quickly, though it was obvious that the two men were not paying any attention to the usual match conventions.

Hwoarang scowled and cautiously switched back to his original position. His first hit had been a powerful strike; the gravestone where Bryan had landed was split in two from the force of the impact. The large man, however, didn't even appear to be scuffed, continuing his slow but steady advance. Deciding quickly, Hwoarang launched into another furious attack. He leaned backward and pushed Bryan back with a triple strike to the head, chest and shins with his left foot, then with a quick turn, sent his right leg sailing up towards Bryan's head. As he landed, he fell into his flamingo stance and prepared to continue his attacks.

Bryan's face twisted into a feral grin as he reached out, grabbing the Korean's bent leg and pulling him in roughly. "That almost hurt," he laughed as he leaned back formed a fist with his free hand. Then he raised his arm and smashed the fist over Hwoarang's head brutally before finally releasing his tight grip on the redhead's leg and shoving him away.

"Look out!" Xiaoyu squeaked, covering her eyes as Hwoarang lurched backwards and tried to regain his balance. It was too late, as Bryan had already advanced on him, laughter rumbling out of his throat. He grabbed onto Hwoarang's arm and held him down as his knee smashed upwards. With brutally efficient snake-like grace, Bryan twisted around and kicked the redhead up into the air. Another rapid punch to his airborne opponent's stomach ensured that Hwoarang met the ground with unforgiving speed.

"What, no more fancy words?" Bryan laughed, standing over Hwoarang, who pushed himself up and shook his head swiftly, trying to clear his vision.

"God damn it!" Hwoarang swore, springing to his feet and leaping at the older man who was still laughing. "Shut the hell up!" he growled, lifting his knee for a kick. Bryan ducked back, and Hwoarang threw himself forward, plastering a hard right hook across the other man's cheek in an unexpected sucker punch.

Bryan pitched backwards, then lifted a hand to his jaw and rubbed it. A slow, lazy smile stretched across his face. "Nice," he laughed, raising his hand and making a rude gesture at the Korean.

"Tryin' to insult me?" Hwoarang said with a grin, satisfied that he had shaken Bryan's confidence. The grin dropped as Bryan lunged forward mid-taunt and leapt upwards, driving his right knee into Hwoarang's chin. He did it twice more, then spun around and smashed the back of his fist into the redhead's jaw. Smoothly, Bryan reversed his spin and struck Hwoarang on the other side of his head and then clipped him across the jaw with a roundhouse kick. He finished the barrage of strikes with a powerful straight-armed punch to Hwoarang's face, sending the Korean reeling backwards and collapsing to the ground.

"Bryan Fury wins!" blared across the graveyard as the bell sounded.

The white-haired man only crossed his arms and smiled at his fallen opponent, the humour never reaching his cold, hard eyes.

"Hwoarang! Get up!" Xiaoyu yelled, waving her arm frantically at the motionless redhead. "Come on, come on!" she murmured under her breath, letting out a huge sigh of relief as he stirred. She let out a loud cheer as Hwoarang pushed himself up slowly, refusing to forfeit the match. He swiped a hand at his face and his palm came away red, but he still managed to struggle to his feet. She sucked in her breath as Bryan spoke, the mocking smile dropping away from his face.

"Too bad. You should've stayed down."

Hwoarang took it as a challenge and spat furiously, but Xiaoyu read more in Bryan's hard features. She watched him closely, trying to put her finger on the wrongness she felt.  _ Evil, _ she decided immediately; that much was easy.  _  But something else, too. _ She closed her eyes and tried to feel the power swirling around them. Hwoarang's burning fury was easy to sense, it radiated off of his body like fire.  _ But why is Bryan cold? _ She concentrated, trying to get a grasp on the sensation. Burning coldness licked at the edges of her fingers, and her eyes flew open. A small pocket of green flame had burst up directly under her fingertips, spreading the chill through her body. She drew her hands away quickly and held them to her chest, trying to warm them. "The souls of the dead are upset by this fight," she murmured, blowing on her fingers. She tried not to think how much touching the flame reminded her of touching Miharu's body, devoid of her soul.

"Fight!" came the announcement, and Xiaoyu's eyes shot up.  _  The body is a shell for the soul. The souls of the dead are upset. _ She fixed her eyes on Bryan in horror, trailing up and down the bullet wounds on his body.  _ They're upset because he has life, but no soul. _ She suddenly knew it to be true, the real reason behind Bryan's aura of flowing coldness in place of the warm, vital pulse of life. That same coldness was reflected in the hard glint of his eyes.

"He's not human!" Xiaoyu yelled, leaping to her feet.

"What?" Hwoarang said, backing away from Bryan and glancing at Xiaoyu.

"It's not a fair match! I don't think you can hurt him!" she cried out, clenching her fists.

"What the hell are you on?" Hwoarang shouted, glancing back at Bryan, who had stopped his slow advance in light of Xiaoyu's interruption.

_ I don't care if life is unfair, I'll make it fair! _ Xiaoyu thought angrily. "I'm going to help you!" she shouted to Hwoarang, picking her way through the gravestones.

Hwoarang's eyes bulged, and he turned around and waved an arm out at Xiaoyu. "God damn it, Xiaoyu, stay outta this!" he yelled at her. Then the breath left him in a rush as Bryan rushed forward and drove his fist into Hwoarang's stomach.

"She's right, you know," the large man noted gleefully. "Let me show you what this cybernetic body can do." His began to punch Hwoarang methodically, his arms gaining incredible speed each time and powering his blows with an inhuman strength. Finally, with a wild laugh, he stopped the flurry of strikes and delivered a savage uppercut to Hwoarang's chin, finishing the combination with a strong right punch to the Korean's head, knocking him to the ground. "I am the ultimate fighting machine, and when I win this tournament, I will become the most powerful being in existence!"

Xiaoyu speeded up her approach, preparing to launch herself into a flying kick at Bryan. She was stopped short by Hwoarang's angry yell as he rose to his knees, coughing and spitting.

"This is MY fight!" he roared, staggering to his feet. "You fucking stay out of it!" He spun around and lifted his leg for what appeared to be a high strike to Bryan's head. The large man raised his arms to block automatically, but as Hwoarang fell, he tucked his knee in and brought his heel down low, rapidly sweeping his foot towards the other man's ankles to try and knock him off of his feet. It almost worked, as Bryan staggered backwards, but he regained his balance quickly.

"You don't give up," Bryan noted angrily, his face settling into a cruel sneer as he arched back and brought his knee up towards Hwoarang's head. The redhead managed to back off before the knee could connect, but Bryan snapped his raised leg out, catching Hwoarang by surprise. "But you're not the only one who can fight dirty," he grinned as he caught Hwoarang's long hair and shoved his knee into the Korean's face. His merciless pummelling continued with a vicious pair of uppercuts, a quick left hook that would have put Steve to shame, and a few more powerful crunching kicks to Hwoarang's side. The last blow sent the redhead flying to the ground once more, and Bryan laughed and looked up, raising his knee in a fake kick and gesturing for Xiaoyu to come forward. "You want some too, sweetness?" he said mockingly as she looked on in horror.

"Fucking… bastard…" Hwoarang groaned as he tried to lift himself off the ground. His face was streaming with blood, and despite his efforts, his arms gave out and he crashed back to the ground. The bell chimed, and vaguely the sound of the announcer registered.

"Bryan Fury wins."

It seemed almost incidental to Xiaoyu, unimportant compared to the immediate danger of having Bryan Fury stare her down. She raised her hands very slowly, filled with dread and apprehension. "Are you going to attack me too?" she asked nervously.

Bryan looked her up and down, and then smirked. "When it's your turn," he rumbled, and turned to leave. Passing by Hwoarang's fallen body, he paused and smiled. Then he drew his heavily booted foot back and planted it squarely into Hwoarang's side, causing the young man to double over in pain. "Stay out of my way, punk," he growled, and stalked out of the graveyard.

Xiaoyu watched Bryan retreat, afraid to move, to even breath, until he was beyond the gate. Then with a gasp, she ran over to Hwoarang, who lay groaning on the ground. "Oh no," she moaned as she carefully turned him over and rested his head across her knees. One eye was already red and swollen and blood flowed freely from both his nose and mouth. There was already too much blood smeared across his face to see the extent of the damage that Bryan's brutal attack had left. Cautiously, Xiaoyu began to dab at his face, trying to gently scrub some of the mess away from his cheeks. "Hey," she said softly, surprised to find tears forming in her eyes. "Hey, wake up. Come on, please come back. I can't get you out of here alone." She nearly shouted with relief when Hwoarang stirred again, moaning and coughing, and quickly she brushed his matted hair away from his injured face.  _ Did I look this bad when Julia picked me up? _ she wondered, suddenly gaining a newfound respect for the older girl.  _ Probably not… at least Feng Wei didn't try to rearrange my face. _ "Can you talk?" she asked nervously, swallowing.

A string of explosive expletives that she had never heard before answered the question and brought a flush to her cheeks. When he was done, Hwoarang opened his good eye and glared up. The angry stare switched to brief surprise, then resignation as he lowered his eyelids again and groaned. "I guess there are worse fucking things to wake up to than your face," he muttered hoarsely.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Xiaoyu said sharply. She felt bad when Hwoarang winced at her loud tone, but it passed quickly as he let out a low chuckle.

"Least I can still get a rise outta you," he laughed, before wincing painfully at the attempt to display humour. Then he opened his eye again and stared at Xiaoyu. "Stupid girl," Hwoarang coughed, turning his head and spitting out some blood. "Why the fuck did you do that?"

Xiaoyu smiled and shifted her position, gently helping Hwoarang sit up and allowing him to lean against her. It was strange, realizing that the tall, muscular redhead was so weak that he actually needed her tiny frame for support. It seemed unnatural, unfair, almost, to rob the arrogant Korean of his pride, and she blinked away her tears and carefully avoided looking at his mangled face. "I couldn't leave you there alone," she said haltingly, studying Hwoarang's calloused hand. "He wo—" Remembering the redhead's damaged pride, she chose her words carefully. "— He  _ might _ have killed you."

"Huh," Hwoarang said, wincing as he coughed again. "And you would've cared?" he said wryly, catching her slip.

"Of course I would have cared!" Xiaoyu answered angrily, then blushed and apologized as Hwoarang grunted with pain at her sudden motion. "I don't want to lose another friend," she continued. "We are friends, aren't we?" she added in a small voice, her eyes flicking to Hwoarang's face uncertainly.

"You distracted me and I lost the goddamned match. Shit, I should be really angry at you right now." Hwoarang's glare faded into painful grimace as he tried to stretch his split lip into a lopsided grin. "Looks like you owe me again. This time I'll take my payment right now." Then, without warning, he leaned over, and before Xiaoyu could protest, his lips were pressing onto hers for a rough kiss.

Xiaoyu felt a wave of surprise; she could remember Miharu teasing her when they were in high school together.  _ "You're saving your first kiss for Jin? You know you might be waiting a really long time…" _ The sting of disappointment that her first kiss hadn't gone according to plan wasn't quite as harsh as she expected it to be. Warmth flushed through her body, and Xiaoyu parted her lips slightly and returned the kiss without thinking. The pleasant, warm haze faded as a sharp, coppery tang entered her mouth, and carefully, she pulled away from Hwoarang and touched her lips. Her fingers came away stained red, and she studied their wet gleam with a faint sense of resignation.

_ My first kiss tastes like blood. _

Somehow, she wasn't surprised, and that knowledge filled her with sadness. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, turning her face away from Hwoarang, who was looking at her questioningly. "We should get you to the hospital," she added, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and struggling to her feet. Together, they began to limp towards the gateposts marking the paved entrance to the graveyard, which was thankfully a much less tumultuous route than the one Xiaoyu had arrived by. An uncomfortable silence settled between the two, and after a moment, Xiaoyu felt Hwoarang's eyes on the top of her head. "What is it?" she asked, looking up. She saw that his eyes were fixed on her feather necklace, and looked down guiltily.

"I'm still gonna to beat him, you know," Hwoarang said after a moment.

Xiaoyu lowered her eyes and glared at the ground passing underneath their feet. "What is wrong with you?" she asked angrily. "What is it with everyone here? Why does it always have to be about fighting?" she exclaimed.

"In case you didn't notice, Sunshine, you're in the middle of a fighting tournament," Hwoarang said, wincing as his attempted chuckles soon turned into dry, hacking coughs. Regaining his breath, he scowled, looking unusually serious. "That's the reason everyone comes. In the end, we all wanna be top dog."

Xiaoyu's frown deepened and she answered with a note of anger. "That's not everyone's reason for being here!" She sighed, the frown melting away from her face, and looked at Hwoarang. "Haven't you noticed it by now? There are two types of people in the tournament." She stopped as Hwoarang tripped on a larger stone, and they both took a moment to regain their balance. "There are people who come full of bitterness, looking for nothing but death, like that guy you just fought. And then there are people who come to the tournaments looking for something else, people like me," she explained. "There's more to life than just proving that you can be the 'top dog' you know."

Hwoarang raised an eyebrow, regarding Xiaoyu with weary bemusement. "I'm not lookin' to get myself killed. But I wanted to win this tournament. So where exactly do I fit in this little diagram of yours?"

Xiaoyu smiled at Hwoarang brightly. "You're like me, of course. You're doing this for someone else. Alright, I admit it, maybe you're a little too pig-headed to see more than this stupid rivalry you have with Jin. But you don't really want to kill him, do you?" She waited, her smile widening as Hwoarang coughed and refused to answer her. "See? I don't think you really care about winning the tournament as much as you care about seeing Jin again. We're the same."

"Hell no!" Hwoarang protested with a rough laugh. "I haven't spent the last two years of my life chasin' after Jin like some gay groupie." He winced and groaned as Xiaoyu pelted him in the side. "Take it easy!" he growled with annoyance, regaining his footing.

"That's not what I meant," Xiaoyu answered sharply. Then, a grin crossed her face. "Though the thought had crossed my mind," she admitted with a giggle.

Hwoarang swore loudly. "Holy shit! Am I going to have to kiss you again to prove my manhood?" he said incredulously. He grew quiet as Xiaoyu's soft laughter died out. "Damn," he admitted in defeat after a moment. "That pretty rich boy might be a lotta things, but at least he knows how to fight man to man. You know, with honour and all the rest of that crap." He gestured futilely at the air. "He doesn't deserve this devil shit."

"You mean you respect him," Xiaoyu said. "And you want to help him find a cure, too."

Hwoarang clenched his teeth and looked away, obviously struggling with his already battered pride. "There aren't a lotta people who really understand me," he finally forced out. "Baek does. So does that bastard Jin, in his own damn way." He sighed heavily. "I owe it to him."

Xiaoyu looked at the ground, filled with a mixture of nervous happiness. She was pleased that she had managed to worm her way past the tough Korean's aggressive posturing and hear him speak comfortably. She was still nervous, however, as she processed what he had finally admitted, or more correctly, omitted from his statement. "…And what about me?" she asked quietly. "Do I count as one of those people?" She blinked, surprised at herself that she had even asked.  _ Why is this so important to me? _

Silence settled around them, the noise of their feet dragging over the gravel path filling the air. Finally, when it was stretched so thin that Xiaoyu was certain her nerves would snap, Hwoarang answered her.

"You don't know me," he finally said.

Xiaoyu exhaled loudly as a heavy feeling of disappointment settled around her chest.

"… but I guess you understand a few things," he admitted haltingly.

The disappointment vanished as quickly as it came. "Things like what?" Xiaoyu needled eagerly, unable to stop the smile from blooming over her face.

Hwoarang grimaced and focused on the road. "Did you really hate riding my bike that much?" he said cryptically.

"You drive like a madman! Of course I hated it!" Xiaoyu replied quickly, thrown off by his question. The silence that followed made her realize that it was the wrong answer. She closed her eyes, seeing the mental puzzle again. This time, she examined the piece that Hwoarang had given her more carefully.

_ Why does he drive like that? Why does he even have a motorcycle? What is it he was trying to show me? _ She remembered their first trip together, the wind whipping past her ears, the sound of cars flying by, and her absolute terror of the loss of control. Then, to her surprise, she remembered Yoshimitsu's laughter, echoing around her as they sped down the elevator shaft; it was much the same feeling.  _ It's not about losing control, _ she realized after a moment.  _ And it's not just about scaring me. _ She thought harder, trying to understand the message hidden in her memory.  _ The exhilaration. The risk. The adrenaline high. _ She thought of her match with Steve, of the eager joy with which she had thrown herself into the fight.  _  I felt alive; I touched the part of me that Miharu said she'd never understand. _ She cracked an eye open and looked at Hwoarang, whose jaw was clenched in frustration.

"I'm sorry," Xiaoyu said quietly. "I didn't think about it before I answered you. You do it for the rush, don't you?" She smiled slightly as Hwoarang's scowl faded. "A good fight makes me feel alive, like I can be something more than just the ordinary schoolgirl Ling Xiaoyu. That's why you like your bike, right? You want to be more than just Hwoarang."

The redhead grinned at her. "You do understand," he said after a moment. "I knew you had it in you, Sunshine." His smile faded. "I knew you understood when I saw you at Vision," he added.

"What?" Xiaoyu sputtered, her eyes widening as she stared at Hwoarang. The memory of the first tournament fight she had seen was hazy now, distant, as though it had passed in another lifetime, not just six short days ago. "You mean that wasn't an accident at the club?" she pressed.

"Yeah, I saw you jump onto that van. I thought you were one fuckin' crazy girl," Hwoarang said with a wry smirk. "Hidin' your guts behind all that pink fluff and sugar. I figured Jin was gonna take care of you, but I figured wrong. Good thing I caught you in time." He grinned as Xiaoyu scowled at him in embarrassment. "Normal people don't try to kill themselves with stunts like that. You aren't normal, though." He looked away from her. "You wanna fly too," he said quietly. "You're just scared to say it out loud."

"Yeah, well maybe I'm just not sure I want to fly on a motorcycle," Xiaoyu answered cheekily, shrugging off Hwoarang's laughter. Still, she felt a cloaked in a strange sense of satisfaction as they continued their walk back to civilization in companionable silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This chapter took a long time to write. I spent a lot of time playing Bryan and Hwoarang, trying to figure out how to give them an impressive duel. I hope it worked. I also hope I still have a couple of non-Hwoarang fans after this chapter. Eh, figuring in that Hwoarang also lost, I actually hope I still have the Hwoarang fans too! - huge sweatdrop - To answer a question, the reason Jin didn't show up for his match with Hwoarang was because, well, Devil Jin had just spent a busy evening almost killing Miharu, so he wasn't really "unpossessed" in time for his match. Sorry if that wasn't obvious! Leave a review, lemmie know what you think!


	17. 16: April Showers

"Hey Miharu," Xiaoyu said gently, leaning over the bed and grasping her friend's hand in her own. "It's the seventh day of the tournament. Things are winding down now."

Miharu remained unresponsive, her face set in peaceful repose as the gentle clicking of the machines around her did their work to keep her body alive. Xiaoyu smiled and continued, dimly noticing how pale and fragile Miharu's neatly manicured fingernails looked. Her own fingers were hardened and rough, covered with small scratches and bruises from overuse in the tournament.  _ Elephant in a porcelain shop, _ she suddenly thought. Only she had broken Miharu, not just some china cup. She closed her eyes and tried to wish away the feeling of emptiness that surrounded her friend's body.

"There aren't many contestants left. Hwoarang got eliminated. I guess I didn't get a chance to tell you about him. He was a real jerk at first, but somehow we've become friends now. I think he might even like me. He stole my first kiss, can you believe that?" She smiled slightly. "I know, I know what you'd say. Forget about Jin and move on, right? I can't just yet, though. I need to see him first, to talk to the real him, not just the devil." She paused, and looked at her friend's pale face. "Asuka made it to the next round. So did Kazuya." She took a deep breath. "That means I'm probably going to have to fight either Asuka or Kazuya if I win my match today." She gave Miharu's hand a final squeeze and stood up. "Sorry, I know you don't really follow the tournaments that much. Just wish me luck today, okay?" she said, letting go.

As Xiaoyu exited the room, she caught a glance of Miharu's mother, speaking wearily with one of the doctors. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and she looked harried and pale. Guilt overwhelmed Xiaoyu, and she turned away and hurried down the corridor as inconspicuously as she could. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with Miharu's parents.  _ "Oh, yeah, um, actually I do know why Miharu won't wake up. She sort of lost her soul. Don't worry, I'll get it back, just hang in until then!" _ Xiaoyu shook her head and made her way downstairs, stopping on a lower floor of the hospital. Winding her way through the busy corridor, she found the room she was looking for and stepped in.

Julia looked up as she entered and smiled mildly. "Hello, Xiaoyu," she greeted the other girl.

Xiaoyu gave her a perfunctory nod and looked over at Hwoarang, who was standing with his back to her, staring out the window. "Are you sure you should be up already?" she asked the redhead, who only turned slightly and snorted at her. She noted with some relief that the damage to his face was not as bad as she had first thought, though his left eye still looked like a bloody eggplant. Julia was not much better off, Steve's punch having left a huge welt across the greater half of her cheek. Next to each other, they looked like members from a band of street thugs, something that probably would have pleased Hwoarang and horrified Julia. "Either you guys had a rough week, or black and blue is coming into fashion!" she said with a smile.

Julia cupped her bruised cheek with a small sigh of exasperation. "It's nice to see you again too, Xiaoyu," she said with a small grin. "I was really worried about you after Yoshimitsu just took off like that." She grew serious and dipped her head at the silent Korean. "You should know, I told Hwoarang what happened yesterday… and at Tokyo Tower."

Xiaoyu bit her lip. "Everything?" she said, looking at Hwoarang, who had turned around. He didn't look pleased. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Julia give a slight nod, and her shoulders sagged. "Well… okay. At least you're not fighting each other anymore."

"Who are you kiddin'?" Hwoarang exploded. "First of all, that prick misses our match because he was too busy harassin' your friends." He turned and faced Julia. "And what kind of brainiac plan was that, using Xiaoyu to storm the Corp headquarters? I thought you were supposed to be smart!" he yelled, directing his ire at the older girl.

Julia flinched, but didn't pull away from Hwoarang's scrutiny. "We did what we needed to do," she answered levelly. "And Xiaoyu knows that I'm not just using her for my own selfish goals. Can we say the same about you?" she replied coolly.

Hwoarang raised a fist and opened his mouth, but Xiaoyu silenced him before he could reply. "Stop it, you two! I need you guys to get along,  _ please! _ "

Julia directed her gaze downward at her clasped hands, and Hwoarang looked away angrily, but they both fell silent. "Are you ready for your match today?" Julia asked after a moment, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Xiaoyu wrapped her arms around herself and winced slightly as she brushed over her sore ribs. "No, but I have to fight today no matter what, and how I feel won't make a difference." She paused, and then looked down at her wrinkled, dirty sweat suit with disgust. It was definitely worse for the wear, covered with the remainders of her exotic day-long adventure, ranging from chemical flame retardant to Hwoarang's blood. "And I need to pick up some new clothes before then."

Julia nodded and pushed herself out of the chair. "Alright. We can stop by my place before your match."

Xiaoyu nodded and smiled at her friend. "Thanks for putting up with me," she said gratefully.

"I'm not just putting up with you, Xiaoyu," Julia said seriously. "Hwoarang is right, in a way. My actions drove you out of your house and home. I still haven't apologized for that," she continued with a touch of guilt. "You're more than welcome to come back to the United States with me after all of this is over."

Xiaoyu shook her head, humming lightly. "Hey, it was my decision! Besides, I don't think I could ever call that place home again, knowing what I do now." She began to drift towards the door, a smile playing across her face. "The Tournament isn't over yet. If I win, then our break-in won't matter, right?"

Julia laughed lightly and nodded, grabbing onto Xiaoyu's elbow and guiding her out of the room. They paused as Hwoarang stopped them.

"Well hey, don't let me interrupt your Hallmark moment, but were you two just plannin' on leavin' me here?" he growled sarcastically at them.

Xiaoyu paused and looked back at Hwoarang, who had crossed his arms and was staring at her expectantly. With a tiny sigh, she glanced at Julia. "Is it okay if he comes along?" she asked in a small voice.

"I don't need her permission!" Hwoarang said immediately, ignoring Xiaoyu's poorly concealed attempts to placate him with her waving hands.

Julia frowned and gave Hwoarang an appraising stare. "Well, it's best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer," she said, arching an eyebrow at the redhead. "We probably couldn't stop him from following you anyway. Besides, if he's with us, he can hold the bags while we go shopping for your new clothes." She grinned slightly and turned, pulling Xiaoyu out of the room.

"Bitch," Hwoarang muttered under his breath with a smirk. Then the smirk dropped. "Wait one damn minute!" he yelled after them. "Shopping?"

**\- x – x – x -**

Some time later, the unlikely trio found themselves back at Julia's hotel room. Hwoarang was lounging lazily across a chair with the television remote in hand, and Julia was doing her best to studiously ignore him as she tapped away at her laptop.

"What the hell's taking her so long?" Hwoarang asked after a minute, finally getting bored with his constant channel switching activity. Noting Julia's lack of response, he flipped the television to an unusually obnoxious program and turned up the volume. The sound of a home shopping network host desperately trying to sell off a salad-dicer filled the room, and finally Julia peered up over the top at her computer at Hwoarang.

"Would you turn that down please?" she yelled, sighing in vexation as Hwoarang yawned and pretended to be interested in the show. Getting up, she strode to the TV and slammed the switch off, then turned around and faced the Korean with an irate look.

"Oh,  _ sorry _ , guess I couldn't hear ya," Hwoarang sneered at her, tossing the remote on to the bed.

Julia narrowed her eyes, then exhaled heavily. "In case you haven't noticed by now, a girl like Xiaoyu doesn't just hop under a two-minute cold shower and declare herself ready for the next adventure. She needs time to prepare herself. Just show a little patience for once."

Hwoarang rolled his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. "I don't get why the hell you girls spend so much time makin' yourselves 'pretty.' Do you think guys really care about all that crap?" he said with boredom. "Just show a little T and A and we're happy."

"Neanderthal," Julia muttered, giving up and returning to her computer.

They both looked up at the sound of the bathroom door opening, and Xiaoyu stepped out, making a few last adjustments to her ponytails. "Well? What do you think?" she asked, twirling around.

Julia stared, blinking her eyes a few times, and then gave Xiaoyu a huge smile. "Well, it's not quite as bulky as the other costume, but I guess that would still make your Panda happy," she laughed. "Only you could come up with something like that."

Xiaoyu smiled and fluffed the furry shoulder poufs on her newly acquired costume. The fur-lined miniskirt and top were dyed in black and white to emulate Panda's natural colouring, and a pair of black fur-lined socks and gloves completed the illusion. There was even a small black collar around her neck and a furry pouf hanging off of her belt like a tail. The skimpy costume showed off quite a bit of her legs and her midriff, and yet somehow was ridiculous enough to keep her from looking indecent. Not ridiculous enough, however, to keep Hwoarang's mouth shut.

"I can see your underwear," was his first observation. "Wow, Sunshine, didn't know you liked black!" he added with a low whistle. Seeing two pairs of glares focus on him, he sat up and shrugged. "What, you asked!" he exclaimed.

Xiaoyu sighed and looked into the full-length mirror apprehensively. "I wanted to make a big impression for this battle. You really think it's too much?" she said disappointedly, picking at the fur.

"No, you look fine, Xiaoyu," Julia said soothingly, giving Hwoarang an angry glare and tilting her head towards him expectantly. Seeing him scowl in confusion, she loudly added "Don't you think so, Hwoarang?"

Hwoarang groaned and stood up, crossing his arms. "You look good," he said finally. His eyes fixed onto her hands, and feeling self-conscious, Xiaoyu raised her arms and studied them carefully.

"Is there something wrong with my gloves?" she asked.

Hwoarang shook his head, snapping his eyes away from Xiaoyu and to the ceiling, as if he'd been caught red-handed gawking at her breasts. "Naw, nothing's wrong with them. I just never saw you without those donuts on," he coughed. "I didn't realize your wrists were so… small."

Xiaoyu peered at Hwoarang and then shrugged. "You're weird," she said simply, and then returned to the bathroom to finish gathering her things. Julia, on the other hand, hooked her thumb beneath her chin and regarded Hwoarang thoughtfully.

"What?" he said angrily, noticing Julia's scrutiny.

Julia shook her head and smiled slightly, dropping her hand. "So that's why she puts up with you," she murmured with a small grin.

"And what the hell's that supposed to mean?" Hwoarang said, uncrossing his arms and scowling at the tall girl.

"Just that you finally found something you like more than your bike," she answered, laughing. Ignoring Hwoarang's curse, she leaned into the bathroom and called Xiaoyu. "Come on, we'd better get going. I'm not entirely sure where your match is, and it's getting late."

Xiaoyu nodded, coming out of the bathroom and slinging on the small backpack filled with her meagre possessions. "I'm ready to go. Don't worry, though, I think I know where we're headed. It's probably Uncle Lee's building."

As they exited the room, Hwoarang rubbed the back of his head. "Wait a sec. What's with calling him  _ 'Uncle' _ Lee? You're related to this dude?"

Xiaoyu shook her head as they entered the elevator, ignoring the stares they gathered from the other hotel patrons as they rode down to the lobby. When they were free of the crowd of strangers, she answered him. "Lee Chaolan isn't really my uncle, but he trained under my grandfather. Sometimes he'd come to visit us in China when I was a little kid, so I started calling him 'uncle.' He really hates it, though," she giggled.

Julia, who had been waving down a taxi, frowned as she returned and picked up on the conversation. As they all piled in, she cleared her throat. "Are you sure you'll be able to win this battle, Xiaoyu? If this man trained under your grandfather, you might have some difficulty fighting him."

Xiaoyu leaned back and stared out of the window, watching the buildings fly by. "I won't," she said confidently. "Uncle Lee's nothing but a big poser. He gets distracted easily and he's totally predictable." She turned and gave a sunny smile to her companions. "Compared to everything else we've been through, this should be a piece of cake!"

Soon, the cab pulled up to a large high-rise building, and Xiaoyu, Hwoarang and Julia exited the cab. The sun was high in the sky, bright and cheerful, as if trying to make up for all of the horrible nights that had passed during the tournament. The cheer it infused in Xiaoyu was infectious, and another smile crossed her face. "Something good is going to happen today, I know it!" she told her friends, skipping towards the building.

After registering at the lobby and a long elevator ride to the roof, the doors swung open and Hwoarang immediately grinned. "Hey, Sunshine, looks like you were right!" he laughed, strolling out onto the huge, white-tiled open pool deck and saluting at a few of the onlookers. All around them scantily-clad women lazed and bathed in the sun, sprawled over deck chairs or towels. Black-tied waiters scurried through the audience, providing a steady flow of drinks to the onlookers.

Julia sucked in her breath and shook her head in disbelief. "How can anyone be this wasteful and excessive?" she asked in disbelief.

Xiaoyu only smirked. "That's Uncle Lee for you," she explained. "I bet most of these women are his employees. Maybe he's even paying them to cheer him on. I told you he was easily distracted." She gave Julia a small parting wave and stepped out onto the tiled floor, scanning the crowd for Lee and mentally taking notes as she looked.  _ Women… women… waiters… women… Jinrei… women… wait a second! _ "Grandpa?" she choked out with disbelief. As if sensing her attention, the old man looked towards her, lifting the sunglasses off of his face and sitting up from his deckchair. Xiaoyu immediately closed her eyes and winced. "Ugh, Jinrei without a shirt on. Thanks a lot for the mental scarring, grandpa," she muttered, making her way over to him.

"Xiaoyu, my dear child! I'm so glad you could come today!" Jinrei said, standing up and giving Xiaoyu a warm hug, which she returned eagerly.

"I was worried sick about you!" Xiaoyu said, carefully letting go of him and looking down. She was still in a bit of a shock to actually find him before her, but the reality of holding him was sinking in. It surprised her that she was taller than him; most of her memories of Jinrei centered around her looking upwards.  _ Has it really been that long since I've seen him? _ she wondered. He looked frailer and older than she remembered, and she quickly gestured for him to sit down. "What are you doing in Japan? What are you doing  _ here? _ And don't you think you have enough age spots already?" she said, half-questioning and half-scolding.

"Now now, my child. Be respectful of your elders!" Jinrei returned, settling back onto the deckchair and lowering the sunglasses over his eyes. "If you really must know, I asked your Uncle Lee if I could visit him for this tournament, and he agreed."

Xiaoyu felt her mouth drop open. "For the tournament?" she repeated faintly. Then she grit her teeth and balled her hands into fists in her lap. "Mama's been worried sick about you!  _ I've _ been worried sick about you! There's some Chinese muscleman named Feng Wei looking to kill you! And you've just been sitting here all this time, hanging out with Uncle Lee and not telling any of us?" she yelled angrily.

"I said mind your manners!" Jinrei bellowed, a note of the old authority Xiaoyu remembered from their lessons entering his tone. Then he smiled and continued more gently. "I know about Feng Wei. You handled him most admirably, my dear. I was very proud of you." He reached out and gave Xiaoyu's palm a complimentary pat. "That young man has much potential in him. Maybe I'll take him as my student, if he can swallow that pride of his." He lowered his sunglasses and peeked at Xiaoyu from over the brim. "I am sorry about not contacting you sooner, my dear, precious child. But the time wasn't right."

Xiaoyu felt her eyes clouding with tears. Seeing Jinrei brought up a lot of feelings she didn't want to face. Homesickness, despair at everything she had seen and lived through until that point, and a childish desire to just fling herself into his arms and trust that her grandfather would take care of everything for her, as he had always done in the past. "Why wasn't the time right?" she asked with a sniffle. "You don't know what's been going on here… I really needed you!" she said.

Jinrei smiled and drew Xiaoyu into another careful hug. "Ahh, there there, my little sparrow, don't cry," he said, reverting back to the nickname he hadn't called her since she was a child. "I always wanted only the best for you, Xiaoyu. I had hoped that Heihachi could give you all the things I could not, and that you would soften his brittle heart." He gave Xiaoyu a tender kiss on the top of her head, and let her go. "Even if I was wrong, you've managed to grow up into a beautiful, strong girl, and you've brought our family much honour."

"Really?" Xiaoyu sniffled, smiling at her grandfather through her tears. She smiled as Jinrei nodded at her. "There are so many things I need to tell you," she began, swiping at her eyes.

"I know about your friend," Jinrei answered settling back into the chair. "And I know of the curse of the Mishima bloodline."

Xiaoyu paused, digesting the information. "You know?" she asked quietly. "What exactly do you know?"

Jinrei pointed at the feather pendant that still hung faithfully around Xiaoyu's neck. "I know your friend must recover her soul from the devil," he said. "I know you care very much for that poor young man who suffers from the Mishima curse. And I know that if you want to help them both," he said, leaning forward, the authority entering his voice again, "…you must lose this match today."

Xiaoyu's eyes popped open and she stared at Jinrei in shock. "What?" she yelled.

Jinrei sighed deeply. "You are such a proud girl. I never wanted you to participate in this Tournament, my child. I took measures to ensure that you didn't, but you never did like following my plans." His face grew pensive, and age settled around his features like a heavy blanket. "There is a force at work here that is much more terrible than you can imagine. My child, you are learning to see and understand things much faster than I could have hoped. But you are still not ready." He ignoring Xiaoyu's pained look as he grabbed onto her hand and trapped it in his iron grip. "You will not be ready in time to help anyone. This is not your fight. You must lose to Lee Chaolan!"

Xiaoyu snatched her hand away from her grandfather, glaring at him angrily. "What do you mean it's not my fight? It's been personal since the beginning! I've already lost so much! For Jin, for Miharu… how can you just say that?" she cried, standing up. "How can you ask me to lose again now?" She clenched her fists, a sense of helplessness and betrayal tossing her into the wind like a loose sail in a maelstrom, buoyed only by the burning anger in her chest.

Jinrei frowned at her. "This is not the time for another one of your temper tantrums, Xiaoyu," he said firmly. "I thought you might not agree to my request. That is why I have informed Lee about this situation as well. He may have lost his way many times, but I consider him to be my son just as much as you are my granddaughter. He will not fail." His features softened, and he tried one last time. "Will you not listen to me and spare yourself this pain, little sparrow?"

Xiaoyu trembled and swiped at her eyes quickly, willing away the tears. "I trusted you! How could you come back and do this to me?" she murmured, hiccupping.

"You will not change your course, then?" Jinrei asked her.

Taking a deep breath, Xiaoyu forced herself to calm down. When she was sure that her stomach had settled and the hiccups had stopped, she looked back up at her grandfather with hard eyes. "I'm set in my path," she answered, pushing her chin out defiantly. "I swore I'd help Jin, and I won't back down now, not even for you. It's my duty," she said firmly. To her surprise, she saw he was smiling.

"You are truly the blood of my own," he said with a touch of pride. The moment passed, and he pulled the sunglasses back down over his eyes, hiding them from her. "If you need your answers that badly, then I won't prevent you from finding them. When this business is finished, come to the fields of white near the cathedral ruins, when all is swallowed by moonlight." He looked away from her, his tone reproving. "I tried to warn you. Stubborn child."

Xiaoyu clenched her fists and stomped away from him, trying to pick up the broken thoughts scattered through her head. The speakers whined and the crowd began to cheer, and Xiaoyu remembered her original purpose, the immediate tournament battle before her.  _ Focus, I have to focus, _ she reminded herself, taking a few deep breaths.

"Ling Xiaoyu," called a voice loudly, snapping her head up.

"Uncle Lee," Xiaoyu answered, seeing him approach. Despite being surrounded by all the women, the silver-haired man had foregone his usual tuxedo and was dressed in what she liked to call his "working clothes," a pair of black leather pants and a tight mesh shirt.

"Did you speak with Master Wang yet?" he asked her, his golden-brown eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Xiaoyu pointed a finger at him. "Uncle or not, you're still going to lose," she announced bravely.

Lee smirked at her. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that, _ Ling _ ?" he said rudely. "I don't plan to lose to anyone, but having the Master's blessing on this fight will make it that much more enjoyable," he laughed, bowing deeply towards her.

"All wind and no fire," Xiaoyu shot back nastily, though she did return his bow respectfully. Neither of them were stupid; with Jinrei watching the fight from his chair they could verbally snipe as much as they wanted, but neither dared to do any more than that.  _ Well, it proves we are both students of the same code of conduct, _ Xiaoyu noted with sour amusement. She sincerely hoped the similarity ended there.

"Presenting fight twenty-seven of the fifth King of Iron Fist Tournament!" The announcer's voice was back in full-blown public cheese mode, and Xiaoyu had to suppress a groan. "Today we bring you beauty versus the beast!" he continued. "Rich playboy Lee Chaolan fights against the innocent flower Ling Xiaoyu! Who will win?"

"I have to thank you for dressing the part of the beast today," Lee said snidely.

"Stuff it!" Xiaoyu responded curtly, dropping into her battle position.

"Do try to fight with a little less vulgarity than usual, Ling," Lee answered her, bending his knees and sinking into his own crouch, bouncing on his feet with an almost nervous energy.

The bell rung, and immediately, they began to circle each other. Xiaoyu felt sweat beading on her forehead; Lee might act flighty around other people, but she could tell when he meant business. He wasn't even posturing for the women surrounding them, which was unusual in itself.  _ So he still respects Jinrei, _ she noted, angry at herself for the warm feeling it gave her. She couldn't help it; if her grandfather cared for Lee, then it was the least he could do to return the favour. It didn't bode well for her own fight, though. She also knew Lee was fast, exceptionally so.  _ But I'm still faster, _ she reminded herself confidently, and moved in to attack.

Twirling, she spun herself to Lee's side, looking for an opening to catch him off guard. Finding one, she immediately bent forward and struck his exposed side with her left hand for a belly chop. As he jumped away from the light hit, she fell into her rain dance and threw herself backward. Rolling head over heels, she bent her knees and pushed upwards with both of her feet. The explosive kick worked, sending Lee flying up into the air, but as Xiaoyu came up to face him, she found she couldn't continue. Her ribs were far from healed, and the pain that blossomed across her side from the acrobatic move slowed her down. She clenched her teeth in frustration as Lee quickly recovered and closed her opportunity to strike.  _ Shoot, _ she cursed to herself.  _ I hope he didn't notice that. _ Unwilling to risk that he had seen her hesitation, she immediately lifted her foot in a diagonal sweep across her body, connecting with the side of Lee's head before he could duck away. As he lost his footing, she raised her right arm over her head and let out a loud yell, swivelling her left arm around and driving it into his chest.

Lee was tossed backwards with a grunt and went spinning into the fake marble columns set up by the edge of the poolside. There were a few screams of dismay and protest from the onlookers as he came too close to them, cracking the pole and sprinkling plaster everywhere. "Ugh!" he said, shaking his head and glaring at Xiaoyu. "Stop destroying my pool!" he growled at her.

Xiaoyu tried to open her mouth for a cheeky response, but her breath came out in a ragged gasp instead. Her ribs were on fire, and she concentrated on trying to hide the pain from Lee's calculating stare. "Just fight," she managed to say, sinking back into her standard battle crouch.

"It would be my pleasure," Lee said with a nasty grin, leaping into mid-air and bending his airborne body into a crouch.

Xiaoyu let out a yell of surprise as his extended foot connected to her chest, sending her tumbling backwards onto the tiled floor. She blinked, then rolled head over heels as she saw Lee somersaulting towards her, feeling the tips of his boots whiz by her forehead and sway her bangs gently.  _ That was too close, _ she thought with a gulp, and then glared at Lee as he laughed at her. "I've had enough of this!" Xiaoyu yelled, sweeping down into her phoenix stance. Expecting her wave crest, Lee crossed his arms low to block the strike of her raising palms, but instead Xiaoyu lifted her leg straight upwards as she rose, driving her foot over his arms and directly into his face.

"My nose!" Lee bellowed, staggering backward and holding the aforementioned appendage with a high pitched scream. "Don't you dare touch my beautiful face again!" he yelled angrily after ensuring that his nose was not broken.

"Fine, not your face!" Xiaoyu yelled, crossing her palms over her head and then spinning downwards, striking him across the chest. Lee wheezed in surprise and took a few steps backwards, dropping to one knee. As he struggled to his feet, he formed his hands into fists, but stopped short as the bell rung. It was too late, and Xiaoyu smiled triumphantly as Lee kicked at the ground in frustration.

"Ling Xiaoyu wins!" crowed the announcer. "Fighters, take your position!"

As they approached each other for the next round, Xiaoyu smiled and showed Lee her victory sign. "I told you I would win," she laughed at him.

"Only once," Lee replied, his indignation dying quickly, only to be replaced with his intense stare. "I made a promise to Master Wang that I intend to keep." He bounced on his feet and held up his arms, glaring at her. "Come on!" he yelled.

The bell rang, and they began to circle each other again.  _ I've got to knock him down, _ Xiaoyu thought to herself. Speed was the key; she was faster than Lee, but with her aching side, she had to make sure he didn't have the chance to hit her or wear down her endurance. Quickly, she struck out, slashing her left palm against Lee's face. As he recoiled from the blinding strike, she leaned back and lashed out with her left leg, catching him on the abdomen. Continuing her motion in a graceful arc forward, she reached out with both of her arms for a double-palmed strike, trying to knock Lee back. She gasped in surprise as her palms met no resistance.

"Come on," Lee's voice came from overhead as he leapt upwards and spun, arcing his back over her punch and twirling over her head. Xiaoyu whipped her own head over her shoulder and saw him land gracefully behind her. She cringed as he charged forward, recognizing his strike, one of the basic combinations Jinrei had taught them both, Lee's own personal variant of her bayonet thrust. His left fist slammed into her back, followed by his right. The third sent her reeling forward, toppling to the ground face-first as the breath rushed out of her lungs. With a grunt she rolled herself forward and came back to her feet, spinning around to face Lee. He was already leaning backwards, his knee bent for a kick that he had aimed at her neck. Automatically, Xiaoyu's hands came up to block him, catching onto his leg to try and redirect the momentum of the strike away from her body.

"Fool!" Lee yelled triumphantly as her hands closed around his foot. Xiaoyu felt his weight shift, and realized belatedly that his other foot was already swooping towards her head; he had used her own catch to provide enough resistance to twist himself off of the ground. His foot crashed into the side of her head, and she collapsed, seeing stars amidst a burst of pain. The throbbing spiked as she felt the tips of Lee's boots dig into her side, sending her rolling a few feet further back. Spasming, she came to a stop on her side and lifted herself gingerly to her elbows. Lee's high-pitched scream reached her ears, and Xiaoyu desperately tried to leap to her feet. She wasn't fast enough, though, and Lee's airborne kick connected, knocking her back into the wall of the pool with a crack. Dimly, Xiaoyu heard a few yells and curses as a couple of glasses of champagne rained around her, shattering on the hard porcelain floor. The glass and golden liquid sparkled in the sunlight, making her surroundings look magical and hazy, but the pain kept her from enjoying surrealistic view. "No," she mumbled, struggling to her feet as she heard the bell ring.

"What a comeback! Lee Chaolan wins!" gushed the announcer, loud cheers rising on every side from the crowds. "Fighters, take your position for the exciting final round!"

Xiaoyu placed her hand over her ribs and held them tightly, squeezing her eyes shut.  _ Be strong, _ she told herself. Dimly, she thought she heard a few of Hwoarang's more choice curses being flung in Lee's direction. It brought a smile of relief to her face, remembering that the crowd wasn't entirely hostile.

"Do you give up?" Lee asked her, crossing his arms over his chest. His face was as hard as ever, but his voice was no longer playful, and he spoke lowly, only for her to hear. "Will you follow Master Wang's orders now?"

Forcing her hand away from her ribs, Xiaoyu wrapped her fingers around the feather pendant.  _ Be strong, for Jin and Miharu! _ She opened her eyes and glared at Lee with all of the fury she could muster. "I'm not going to stop! You're only doing this because you have a bone to pick with Kazuya. I have a reason! I need to win this tournament, and I'll prove to grandpa that I can be strong enough!" she yelled at him. She advanced towards him and fell into her guard. "Stronger than you!"

Lee uncrossed his arms and bent his knees wordlessly, his glare never leaving her face. The bell rang, and Xiaoyu dropped to her phoenix crouch and reached out, wordlessly swiping at Lee with her left hand. It was an inelegant punch, and she followed it with a leaping pirouette, letting her heel snap the silver-haired man's jaw back. As he stumbled off balance, she decided to repay his somersault with a layout of her own, holding her arms out and letting her toes smack into his chin as she flipped head over heels. She landed back in her guard crouch and eyed her opponent warily, hoping her attack had fazed him.

Lee rubbed his chin with a small smile, then leaned back into a crouch and extended his arm very slowly. "Come here if you dare," he said, beckoning towards her with a single finger.

"No way," Xiaoyu said, lifting her arms and edging backwards. "I know you're planning something."

"Too bad," Lee said, shrugging. "Then I'll come to you," he finished, sliding forward smoothly and spinning around. His right arm drove into Xiaoyu's shoulder, and then his foot connected with the side of her face. As Xiaoyu yelled and stumbled to her right from the blow, Lee flicked his foot quickly to the other side of her head and tapped her in the opposite direction, sending her crashing towards the ground. As she hit the tiles, he placed his heel on the side of her temple and leaned in, crushing her head against the floor. "You're slow today, Ling," he observed coldly, twisting his heel sharply and eliciting a cry of pain from Xiaoyu.

"Lee Chaolan!" thundered Jinrei's voice from behind them. "You will remove your foot from my granddaughter's face and fight her honourably, or I will remove that foot for you!"

Lee clicked his tongue under his breath, lifting his foot away from Xiaoyu's head. "Your grandfather won't be there to save you next time," he muttered as he backed off.

Xiaoyu raised herself to her knees and glared at Lee through her bangs. "I don't need him to save me!" she yelled, her leg shooting upwards and slamming into Lee's crotch, sending him bowling over in pain with a high scream.

"Ling Xiaoyu! You will also fight with honour, or you will face me next!" Jinrei roared, losing patience with his two disobedient students.

They both stood up and faced each other warily, each obviously having trouble holding themselves up from the blows they had traded. "Let's end this," Lee muttered to Xiaoyu wearily.

Xiaoyu nodded and stepped forward, slamming her foot messily into Lee's stomach. He staggered back with a loud wheeze and doubled over. Xiaoyu moved towards him to lay a finishing blow on the silver-haired man, but as she raised her arms for the strike, her eyes widened. It wasn't a gasp of pain he was muttering, she realized as the pit of her stomach dropped out.

"Hwwaaaaaa…." Lee hissed, his arms vibrating with the energy he had built up. Xiaoyu caught a flash of his white smile as his fist lashed out, smashing into her side explosively. Another powerful left punch directly followed the right, and as they connected with her damaged ribs, Xiaoyu opened her mouth, unable to scream as the pain raced through her body. She fell to her knees, bowling over as tears sprung from her eyes, her hands clawing over her abdomen protectively.

_ No! _ she wanted to scream, but her throat wouldn't allow her make any other sound than a sickly gasp as her legs betrayed her.  _ I won't let this happen! I promised Miharu, and Jin, I promised, and I've come so far and done so much and— _

The bell rung, and dimly she was aware of Lee's presence drifting away from her amid the dull roar of the spectators. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the sunlight and the sight of the garish crowd and toppled over, resting her forehead against the cool tiled floor of the poolside. It wasn't the pain that held her there, remaining motionless until Julia's gentle hands eased her off of the floor. It was an echo that thundered through her mind, deafening her ears, clouding her vision and splintering her world apart more thoroughly than any physical blow could ever do.

" _ Lee Chaolan wins!" _


	18. 17: Crank Up

"This can't be right," Julia said, peering at the screen of her laptop critically. "It says here that the next match is going to be between Lee Chaolan and Kazuya Mishima. The winner will face the Tournament sponsor, and battle for both the title and control of the Mishima Corporation." She sat back and folded her hands behind her neck, leaning back in the chair and staring at the ceiling. "It makes no sense, though. We all know Heihachi Mishima is alive. He wouldn't just hand over his company to someone else without a fight."

Hwoarang scowled, flicking a playing card out of his hand restlessly. It landed on the floor, next to the scattered mound of other cards piled around the bed. He leaned over and studied the fallen card. "Suicide king," he muttered, glaring at the red suit as though it was the one refusing answer the myriad of questions left behind by the tournament. "He's just lettin' it slide because he doesn't want anyone to know he's not pushin' up daisies yet."

Julia sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, then sat up and returned her attention to the flickering monitor before her. "You're right. I'm certain he's going to go public as the Tournament host after the last battle is decided. It's just theatrical enough to suit his style. People will simply believe the whole thing was his latest publicity stunt, and it will give him the opportunity to openly take control of the Corporation again."

"Yeah, but Raven already told us old baldy isn't the one plannin' all this crap," Hwoarang answered, holding another card up between his fingers and tossing it over the side of the bed. "Maybe everyone else will believe what they see on TV, but Mishima ain't pullin' the strings up there."

"As I said, it doesn't make any sense," Julia answered, rubbing her forehead. She gave an irate sigh as she caught sight of the flying card, and glanced at the floor. "You're going to pick all of those up, you know. And get your filthy boots off of my bedspread," she scolded him in a clipped tone.

Hwoarang smirked at Julia. "Bite me," he told her crossly, tossing a card in her direction. "What about that gung-ho chick Kazama? I didn't hear about her losin' a match yet."

Julia tapped at the keyboard, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Disqualified," she said with a note of surprise, staring at the screen. "You're right, she hasn't lost yet. Officially, it says that her father pulled her from the competition, citing her age as a minor." She frowned and leaned on her chin, closing her eyes. "I can't imagine Asuka letting herself be removed by anyone, especially when she was doing so well. Something's fishy about this whole thing."

"That information is a load of crap," Hwoarang said, tossing the last card out of his hand with a growl. "Sunshine here started when she was sixteen, nobody had any problems with minors fightin' back then." At the mention of the name, he glanced at the windowsill of the small hotel room, where Xiaoyu had curled up. She hadn't bothered to change out of her costume from the fight, reacting almost robotically to Julia's gentle commands. A blanket was draped over her shoulders, but against the dark silhouette of the window frame, she looked pale and thin, like a lost child.

Julia noticed Hwoarang's gaze and turned around. She sighed slightly and stood up, approaching the younger girl. "Maybe we could use a break from all of this thinking," she said with false cheer. "What do you think about going outside and getting a bite to eat?"

"I'm not very hungry," Xiaoyu answered listlessly, not bothering to turn her head away from the window.

Julia shook her head and turned away, pacing back towards Hwoarang. "Maybe you can talk to her," she said to the redhead quietly. Hwoarang glanced away and snorted, and Julia's questioning gaze turned hard. Pinning him under her glare, she pointed at Xiaoyu. "Get off of my bed and go talk to her," she demanded, her voice ominous.

"Huh," Hwoarang grunted in response, pushing himself off of the bed reluctantly. "Fine, but you're picking up the cards," he said, striding over to the window. He stopped before Xiaoyu and looked down at her. She didn't give any outward sign that she had noticed his approach and her fingers continued to play across her feather necklace absently. Hwoarang's scowl grew deeper, and he crossed his arms. "Sore loser," he taunted.

_ Go away,  _ Xiaoyu thought to herself. She didn't feel spirited enough to rise to their usual verbal repartee and let Hwoarang's hidden offer to spar pass her by. "I let them down," she said instead, clutching at the necklace. "What if Miharu dies now?" she continued in a tiny, uncertain voice.

Hwoarang grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. "Hell…" he muttered. "I never figured you for a coward," he said after a moment of contemplation.

Xiaoyu blinked and turned her focus away from the window. Her cheek stung as it left the coolness of the window pane and was hit by the warm air within the hotel's interior. "What?" she said in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I called you a coward," Hwoarang said more confidently, crossing his arms over his chest again and glaring at Xiaoyu. "You're too scared to solve your problems on your own. You're ready to let this goddamned tournament do all the thinkin' and decision makin' for you. Always followin' the straight and narrow like a good girl, right Xiaoyu?"

Xiaoyu blinked and slowly uncurled her stiff arms and legs, turning to face the Korean completely. "What are you talking about?" she mumbled, pinching her cheek slightly where the skin tingled. "I'm not in the mood for your stupid games right now, Hwoarang."

"Who's playing a game?" Hwoarang answered carelessly. "Maybe I'm missing something here, but how exactly would being the head of the Mishima Corp help you solve your problems?"

Xiaoyu frowned and opened her mouth, and then paused.  _ I never really thought about that,  _ she suddenly realized. "I… well, I was guessing that maybe there'd be a few scientists who could…"

Julia stood up, coming to Hwoarang's side. "I'm a scientist," she said simply. "I'm also a very spiritual person. And I can tell you as both that I don't think science is going to provide the answers you're looking for. Jin is possessed, Xiaoyu. He needs the kind of help that can't be studied, measured, or classified."

Xiaoyu hung her head. "So what do I do next?" she asked miserably. "If everything I've been striving for wouldn't have helped anyway, what else is left?"

Hwoarang shrugged slightly. "Whatever you do, just throwin' in your towel won't help." He crouched down and peered into Xiaoyu's face, catching her eyes. "Besides, it's not all about you anymore," he said with a grin. "So… are you a coward now or what?"

Xiaoyu met his eyes, struggling with her own feelings. She glanced over his shoulder at Julia, who had planted her hands on her hips and was smiling gently at her.  _ They believe in me, _ she realized suddenly, for the first time.  _ Julia and Hwoarang… they'll back me up no matter what I do. _ The small stirrings of something like hope fluttered in her breast, and a tiny smile worked at the edges of her lips. "No," she said finally, shrugging off the blanket around her shoulders. "I won't run away, no matter what grandpa or anyone else says."

"Thatta girl," Hwoarang grinned as he stood up and backed away. Then his face dropped. "Eh, so what  _ do _ we do now?" he continued, scratching his head.

Julia furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "You said Wang told you to lose the battle to your uncle," she stated. "Did he say why?"

Xiaoyu jumped off of the windowsill and stretched her arms, trying to work the blood back into her limbs. "I think he was trying to protect me from something. He didn't explain what, though," she said with a small pout. She thought over the match, and then let out a tiny gasp. "Wait a minute; he did say something else to me." She closed her eyes and tried to remember his instructions. "He mentioned fields of white and a ruined cathedral. I wasn't paying much attention, though, I was really mad at him. I think he said to come there when the moon was up." She glanced out of the window at the dusky twilight sky. "Fields of white? I have no idea where he meant," she said apprehensively.

Julia returned to her laptop and began to type rapidly. "Well, let's go with what he told you," she explained logically, entering the information into her computer. "An area with both a large field and a ruined cathedral. There aren't that many cathedral ruins in Japan, so it shouldn't be too hard to find." After a few moments, she smiled slightly. "Now this is interesting. There's a special cultivation reserve for Swamp Foxtail and other reed plants located on the outskirts of the city. Nothing specific about a cathedral, but there is a brief mention of some old ruins in the area. Get this, though…" she said excitedly. "The entire radius of approximately sixty square kilometres is owned by the Mishima Corporation and has been sealed off from public entry. I don't think that it's a coincidence."

"Well what are we waitin' for?" Hwoarang said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Let's go have that  _ talk  _ with gramps," he said with an evil grin.

Xiaoyu's mouth dropped open. "We are not going there to beat up my grandfather!" she yelled at him. Rolling her eyes, she glanced out of the window again. "He said to arrive when the moon was high."

Julia nodded, swiftly snapping the computer shut and standing up. "I have the address. If we leave now, we'll make it by the time the moon is high overhead," she smiled, grabbing her jacket and shrugging it on. "Prepare yourselves for a little bit of hiking though," she instructed the other two as they headed out into the corridor. "Even if we catch a taxi, we're going to have to break into the compound on our own, and those fields are pretty large."

"Break in? Now you're talking," Hwoarang said with a large smile, slamming the hotel door shut behind him loudly.

**\- x – x – x -**

Xiaoyu blew her bangs out of her face noisily, resting her hands on her hips. "This is more than a little bit of hiking!" she complained loudly as she caught her breath. "If I had known we were going to come  _ here _ , I could've told that taxi driver to drop us off a heck of a lot closer to the mountaintop!" she yelled.

"Here" was in the middle of a seemingly endless stretch of field, surrounded by tall reeds on all side. A small winding dirt path was leading them presumably towards the cathedral ruins that Jinrei had spoken of, but that was not what Xiaoyu had been pointing out. The Mishima reserve, as it turned out, also boasted the location of Heihachi's former residence, the one that had been blown to smithereens in the fourth tournament. The ruins of the old building had long since stopped smoking, but they were still visible in the distance, a lonesome rocky wound that stuck out sorely in the middle of the lush green mountainside. The entire compound was still a good distance above the gently sloping fields that the trio were making their way through.

"I think we're almost there," Julia called out over her shoulder. The tall reeds swayed around her waist, and with the moon high overhead, it made it appear as though she was swimming through a translucent white sea. "There's definitely something up ahead." Pointing, she directed her companions' eyes towards a jagged dark mound that rose in the distance.

Hwoarang struggled his way through the reeds, slapping at their delicate heads in irritation. Whereas Julia seemed to float through them, the redhead looked more like he was bulldozing his way through a massive pile of feathers. He stopped and waved a few bits of grass away from his face, glancing over the fields cautiously. "Hey," he called out to the others, narrowing his eyes. "We're not alone," he mentioned, gesturing towards a pale figure that was separating itself from the reeds a short distance away.

"Grandpa?" Xiaoyu called out uncertainly.

"What are you guys doing here?" yelled a shrill female voice. The figure broke into a run, and soon her familiar unruly mop of hair shone in the moonlight, revealing her identity.

"Asuka?" Xiaoyu cried out as the other girl approached them. "We were told to come here! What are  _ you _ doing here?" she asked.

Asuka stopped, appraising the trio with surprise, then planted her arms on her hips with an angry glare. "I was told to come here too," she said. "I can't believe this! Disqualified from the tournament! Me!" she yelled, forming a fist. "It's all a big lie, my dad's not even out of the hospital yet! Somebody's gonna pay for this, I swear it."

Xiaoyu backed away holding her hands up before the livid girl. "Hey, we're not the ones who did it!" she said nervously.

"Who told you to come here?" Julia interrupted warily.

Asuka stopped glaring and blinked. "Him," she said, pointing behind the trio. "That's him, that's the guy. He said he had something important to tell me about this tournament."

The three spun around, and Xiaoyu wasn't surprised to see Jinrei standing behind them. "Grandpa! How do you do that?" she asked him with exasperation, to which Wang only chuckled.

"There are many things you can learn with age and patience, my dear child. Given your tendencies, only the latter should prove to be a challenge." Jinrei laughed at his granddaughter's pout and approached the group, giving Julia and Hwoarang appraising looks. "I see you brought your friends with you, Xiaoyu." His tone was disapproving.

"This guy is your grandfather?" Asuka said with disbelief. "You mean your family is mixed up in this fraud?" Her tone turned menacing and she smacked a fist into her palm. "You better fess up about what's going on right now, Xiaoyu! I thought we were friends!"

"Hey, back off, supergirl," Hwoarang said, stepping up to Xiaoyu's side and glaring down at Asuka. "We don't know what the hell's goin' on either. But if you're lookin' for a fight, you got one right here," he sneered, pointing a thumb at his chest.

"You will stand down young man!" Jinrei said coldly, quickly scooting up to Asuka's side.

"Make me," Hwoarang said, directing his glare to Jinrei.

Jinrei shook his head. "Young people these days," he mumbled as he held two fingers stiffly together. Then, before Hwoarang could form another insult, he reached up and poked the redhead in the neck. There was a pop as the Korean bent and stiffened, his face frozen in an expression of surprise. "Always much too hasty for their own good," he finished, tucking his hand back behind his back.

Xiaoyu winced and tiptoed under Hwoarang's nose. His eyes followed her, wide with shock and fury, but he couldn't move. "You really shouldn't insult my grandfather," she told him matter-of-factly. Then she turned to Jinrei. "Grandpa! I think you'd better start talking! Why'd you call us here? Why are you really in Japan? What's going on?" There was a strangled noise behind her, and she let out a loud sigh. "And will you  _ please  _ let Hwoarang go?"

"Hmm," Jinrei answered mildly. "Your friends need to learn some manners. Perhaps I've left you alone for too long. You're falling in with the wrong crowd," he said disapprovingly.

"I'm very sorry for my friend's behaviour," Julia interrupted carefully, giving Jinrei a low bow. "He might be a buffoon—" she paused as Hwoarang grunted loudly. "But I assure you, he means well. Please, forgive us."

A pleased smile spread across Jinrei's face. "Ah, perhaps I was too hasty in my judgement," he said as he returned Julia's bow. Then, leaning over on one leg, he tapped Hwoarang behind the knee with his toe. There was a crack, and the Korean collapsed to the ground, cursing and gasping.

"You son of a OWWW!" Hwoarang yelled, as Xiaoyu stomped on one of his hands and Julia stepped on the other.

Jinrei ignored them and strolled forward, pausing directly before Asuka. "I summoned Asuka Kazama here for one specific purpose," he said loudly. "The public tournament may be almost over, but the real battle must continue."

"You mean I'm not really disqualified?" Asuka asked suspiciously, planting her hands on her hips.

"No, my dear," Jinrei answered her. "You see, I am your next opponent."

"What?" Xiaoyu yelled in shock. "You weren't even on the roster! Grandpa, what are you doing?"

"Quiet, Xiaoyu," Jinrei said firmly, unclasping his hands from behind his back and holding them out in his guard. "Take your friends and stand back. I wish for you to observe this fight."

Asuka shook her head. "I still have no idea what's going on here, but I know I'm sick of this!" She stood back and held her arms low, opening and closing her fingers in preparation as she glared at Jinrei. "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, old man, but you're gonna get hurt!"

Jinrei chuckled, squinting his eyes at Asuka. "Such a fresh, lively young spirit you have!" he told her. "Do your worst, my child!"

Xiaoyu and her companions backed out of the way quickly, watching the unusual fight commence. Though Julia had fought her, Xiaoyu never had the chance to see Asuka in action. She squinted as she studied the other girl's pose, and then let out a gasp as the young girl sprung forward, her motions fluid and graceful, almost like a dancer. "That looks like Jin's old style!" she murmured, watching Asuka attempt to land a few hits and punches on Jinrei. She blinked and squinted again as Asuka dipped and spun gracefully, her leg coming up for a high kick. "No… it's not really Jin's old style," she noted after a while.

"That's Kazama-style self-defence," Julia explained. "My mother explained it to me once, she called it the deadly dance. Jun Kazama mastered that style. It was said that she was the only one who could beat Kazuya Mishima in the second tournament using that technique. Of course, when the time came, she chose not to fight him, and the result was Jin."

"Jun Kazama!" Xiaoyu whispered, her eyes growing wide as Asuka danced across the moonlit fields. "It's… it's beautiful," she breathed as Asuka lunged again, twirling and smashing her elbow backwards, following it with a graceful kick.

Jinrei's laughter rose up into the air, and reaching out, he caught Asuka's outstretched leg and tossed it upwards. The motion was simple and unassuming, but Asuka let out a cry of surprise and went spinning out of control, landing heavily on her stomach. "Kazama!" he cried out. "I have fought this style once before, and it was as much a pleasure then as it is now." His light-hearted tone grew reprimanding as he continued. "But you are not fighting with your full potential. You hold back! Why? Do you fear injuring an old man?" He leaned back on one leg and raised his arms again. "You must attack with all your heart if you wish to defeat me! Now come!"

Asuka pushed herself up, slamming a fist into the ground angrily. "If that's the way you want it!" she yelled, springing to her feet and rushing at Jinrei.

"Amazing," Julia whispered, and Xiaoyu looked up at the Native American. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest, and she was watching the fight intently with wide eyes. "I had guessed she was strong, but I never knew…" she trailed off.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hwoarang interrupted. He was kneeling on the ground, also watching the battle intently, but with a perplexed scowl on his face. "I don't understand how that old dude can block all of her attacks. He must be taking some pretty goddamn intensive geriatrics classes."

Xiaoyu looked back and forth between Julia and Hwoarang, who were on each at her side.  _ Between the worldly and the intangible, _ she suddenly thought, taking in Hwoarang's cynical scrutiny and Julia's spiritual rapture.  _ That's where I am. Grandfather told me to observe the fight. Maybe he didn't mean just to watch it, _ she realized. Turning her attention back to the battle, she allowed her eyes to drift shut.  _ There is something here. _

There was the chirping of the crickets under the moonlight, and the rustling of the tall reeds. There was also, Xiaoyu noted with some surprise, a feeling of something broken, as though the fields teaming with life all around them just stopped, as drained of energy as the graveyard had been. It was like a loose thread in a piece of fabric; though hardly noticeable, the energy of the area around them was slowly unravelling, and the source was somewhere nearby. There was a faint, ugly pulse coming from the mountainside, but it was overwhelmed by the much more potent and immediate presence that emanated from the old cathedral ruins.  _  Jin! That's Jin!  _ she suddenly realized, growing distracted.  _ He's here, he's in that cathedral!  _ The urge to spring to her feet and run to the temple was overwhelming, but as she tensed up, she felt someone squeeze her shoulders firmly.

"Relax," commanded a voice from overhead.

_ I'm not done yet, _ Xiaoyu realized slowly. With a small sigh, she willed herself to ignore Jin's presence, trying to feel the spirit of Asuka and Jinrei as they fought instead. She grew aware of Hwoarang next to her, a flickering candle flame not yet stoked to the intensity she knew he could reach when he felt threatened. Julia's presence was also there, as gentle as the flowing fields that surrounded them, almost unnoticeable but ever present, with an undercurrent of strength that belied her gentle demeanor. She reached out further and recognized the soothing touch of her grandfather's aura. It was almost second nature to her; Jinrei had raised her just as much as her own mother had, and his aura was gentle and comforting, like a warm blanket settling over the corners of her mind. She stretched more and tried to feel Asuka's presence, furrowing her brow in concentration.

"I don't feel anything," she murmured to herself. "Why can't I feel anything?" She searched harder, but as she concentrated, once again she felt the strings of control slipping away, along with her awareness of her grandfather, her friends and the land.

"Don't concentrate," Julia's gentle voice interrupted, shocking Xiaoyu's eyes open. The tall girl had put her hands on Xiaoyu's shoulders and was regarding her with a knowing look. "To feel at one with the energies of the earth, you have to relax and let yourself go. If you keep on consciously trying, you'll only chase those feelings away."

Hwoarang glanced away from the fight to eyeball the two girls suspiciously. "Shit. Don't tell me you're both goin' spacey on me now."

Julia narrowed her eyes and sighed at Hwoarang, then turned her attention back to Xiaoyu. "Close your eyes and let go. Believe in yourself," she said soothingly.

Xiaoyu took a deep breath and let her eyes flutter closed. This time, she tried to forget about the battle, about the strange sensation she was getting from the land, even to ignore the presence of her friends.  _ Just relax, _ she thought to herself.  _ Let go of my worries. I've had so many lately… _ The sound of the fight grew more distant, and the rustling of the wind through the reeds louder. Xiaoyu slumped over, feeling like she was sinking through a warm ocean, safe and cushioned from the outside world. The rushing breeze grew stronger.  _ Why is the wind so loud? _ Xiaoyu wondered as she drifted through the comforting darkness of her mind. The blowing wind was now a howling tornado, and tentatively, Xiaoyu forced her mental eye open, trying to locate the source of the disturbance. And what she saw brought her up short.

_ It's not the wind, _ she finally registered, shock filling her.  _ It's Asuka, it's her soul. It's always been Asuka! _

The gentle spiritual breeze had become a gale-force tempest, spiralling out of the young girl in a frenzied maelstrom of energy. Her aura was so bright, so pure, that Xiaoyu was sure that she was going to be blinded when she opened her eyes. Reflexively, she raised her hand to protect them with a small cry and came out of her trance.

"You can feel it," Julia said softly, still leaning on Xiaoyu's shoulders, holding her upright though her eyes were locked on the fight. "Your grandfather is setting her power free. Incredible!"

As Xiaoyu looked up, she was surprised to see only moonlight, not the blinding white light she had expected to radiate out of Asuka's body. But having touched it, she couldn't shake off the awareness of the other girl's presence anymore. Asuka's aura was everywhere, a beacon of light tearing through the darkness. And as she watched, Xiaoyu saw something she never expected to see.

Asuka yelled, her fists coming forward together to hit Jinrei in the chest. The old man was fast enough, his own arms forming a cross and blocking her strike. But the energy was there, the raw intensity of her soul powering the strike, and Xiaoyu gasped in disbelief as Asuka broke through Jinrei's guard and sent him sailing onto his back.

"I've never seen anyone break grandpa's blocks," she whispered, her mouth dropping open.

Jinrei winced and rose to his feet, holding out his hand as Asuka advanced on him. "Ah, my young one. You have proven yourself. Rest, and calm yourself. I forfeit this match."

Asuka stopped short, holding her fist out uncertainly. "Forfeit? What? I only hit you once! Why'd you even bother to challenge me?" she said, puzzled.

"Yeah," echoed Hwoarang, confusion still written across his entire face. "What the hell was the point of all that?" he asked to no one in particular, scratching his head.

Jinrei turned away from Asuka and waved at Xiaoyu, beckoning her to come forward. "Did you observe, my little sparrow?" he asked her calmly, untroubled by his apparent defeat. "Do you understand now?"

Xiaoyu rose to her feet shakily, feeling over-sensitized, as though someone had electrocuted all her nerve endings.  _ Like Asuka was the electrician, _ she corrected herself. She felt jerky and energetic, but still exhausted, as if she had drunk too much caffeine to make up for a lack of sleep. But as she approached them and saw Asuka's face, one thing became apparent.  _ She doesn't know. She doesn't even know what she's done, she's not aware of all that power she has! _ Another emotion coursed through Xiaoyu, and her hand came up to the feather pendant, gripping it fiercely.

"Xiaoyu," Jinrei interrupted, his tone gentle and understanding.

Xiaoyu lowered her head, closing her eyes. When she spoke, her voice trembled. "It's not fair," she whispered softly.

"My little sparrow, life is not—"

" _ I know it's not fair!" _ Xiaoyu screamed, looking up to Jinrei with tear-streaked eyes. "Don't you think I learned that already? Don't you think I know by now?" She calmed down, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "It doesn't make it hurt any less," she said more quietly, sniffling.

"Hey, are you alright?" Asuka asked cautiously, reaching out to touch Xiaoyu's elbow. Xiaoyu flinched away, pulling her arm out of Asuka's grasp as though the younger girl had burned her. "Listen, I'm sorry about beating up your grandfather," Asuka began guiltily.

"Just leave me alone," Xiaoyu said, unable to completely stomp out the unreasonable surge of jealousy and betrayal she was feeling.  _ Is this my punishment for letting go? For trying to forget about Jin? _ she thought bitterly. Her fingers tightened around the feather pendant, the silver chain digging into her hands painfully, and she sniffled again. She felt the leathery, cool touch of Jinrei's finger as he cupped her chin and stroked her cheek, and she was suddenly thankful that he had decided to spare her his usual lecture on sulking.

"My little sparrow," he told her gently. "There are things in this life that we are destined to do and to become. I am sorry, I truly am, but this was not your destiny."

Xiaoyu reached up, squeezing Jinrei's fingers thankfully, then pulled his hand away from her face. "I don't believe in destiny, grandfather," she said quietly. "Was it Jin's destiny to be cursed? Is it Miharu's destiny to die?" She released Jinrei's hand and turned away from him, looking at the jagged mound of the cathedral in the distance. "No," she said quietly, the old ruins growing fuzzy as tears blurred her vision. "I wanted to be the one to save Jin. It should've been me," she said sadly.

"Save Jin? What are you talking about?" Asuka asked, growing even more confused. "What's he need to be saved from? And are you talking about me? I've never even met him!" she said dubiously.

"The curse of the Mishima bloodline was awakened by the great evil that was unearthed here during the last tournament," Jinrei said, turning to face the mountainside and pointing at the bald spot on the summit. "The true enemy is there. Only a warrior of great spiritual strength can cure the illness which plagues this land."

Xiaoyu spun around, her sad resignation evaporating as Jinrei's words splashed over her head like cold water. "What? You mean you didn't do all of this to fight Jin?" Her grandfather remained silent, his face growing hard. "You're just going to leave him there like that, possessed?" Xiaoyu continued in disbelief. Her hands balled into fists. "You'd let Miharu die?" she pressed, her voice rising.

Jinrei sighed heavily. "Sometimes, my child, the greater good must come before our own selfish desires." He closed his eyes. "The fate of the entire world is at stake. What good is it to save only one, if many will die as the consequence?" He opened his eyes and looked at Xiaoyu. "Do not lose all hope, my girl. There is a good chance that if we rid this world of the evil that was awakened on the summit, the evil in your friend will also return to slumber."

"A good chance?" Xiaoyu said incredulously. "A chance? Miharu needs more than a  _ chance! _ " she cried out. "And what about Jin? He still wouldn't be cured!" She backed away, turning her head towards the cathedral ruins.

"Xiaoyu," Jinrei said, his voice becoming strict. "Do not do anything foolish!"

Xiaoyu tried to let out a small laugh, but it escaped her throat sounding more like a sob. "Foolish? It's too late for that," she cried. "If you won't save Jin, then I will! I promised him! Just take your 'destiny' and shove it!" she yelled angrily. "I won't leave him! And I won't let Miharu die!" Turning on her heel, Xiaoyu fled, racing for the dark ruins at the end of the path.

"Xiaoyu!" Jinrei roared, stepping after her with his hand outstretched. "Come back here!" It was too late, however; Xiaoyu was already halfway to the cathedral, as fast ever.

"Fuck it, I just know I'm gonna regret this," Hwoarang muttered, ignoring the others and taking off after Xiaoyu.

"Young man!" Jinrei yelled angrily, but it didn't help. He spun around, glaring at the remaining two girls on the field. "You are forbidden to follow them!" he said quickly, moving in front of Asuka as she made to chase after the two.

"Why?" Asuka asked, reaching for Jinrei's shoulder to push him out of the way. Lightning fast, he grabbed her wrist and twisted it around, causing her to cry out in pain and sink to her knees. "Lemmie go!" she yelled, struggling against the old man's iron grip.

"You must rest before you face another opponent," Jinrei explained urgently. "I have released your potential, but at a cost to yourself. If you do not gather your strength before your next battle, there is a risk that you will be defeated!"

Asuka scowled and struggled, and Jinrei released her wrist. "Believe me," he said, suddenly sounding old and tired once more. "I wish there was some other way." His shoulders bowed and he sunk down slowly, folding his legs under him. At that moment, the old man looked every bit his age, the lines on his face standing out in clear relief in the moonlight. "It was never my intention to sacrifice my own granddaughter for the safety of this world. My headstrong little sparrow," he said sorrowfully, shutting his eyes.

"No one is going to be sacrificed today," a clear voice broke through, and Jinrei looked up to see Julia standing before him. She kneeled down respectfully, meeting his eyes. "Xiaoyu believes in the power of true love. Maybe 'destiny' isn't always the answer. Maybe it's not  _ her _ answer."

Jinrei smiled slightly. "Wise girl," he said to her. "You are aware of things that even my granddaughter has yet to understand." Then his frown returned. "But Xiaoyu must know her own heart before she can save anyone." He looked up, surprised, as Julia smiled at him and pushed herself to her feet.

"She knows that," Julia said confidently. "I think she'll surprise you. You don't know how much Xiaoyu has grown these past few days." Adjusting her gloves, she glanced at the cathedral ruins. "Besides, even if she hasn't decided yet, I'll protect them," she finished.

"You aren't strong enough," Jinrei said simply. "And that Korean will be useless if you intend to rely on him for assistance. You would fight the Devil himself, do you understand?"

Julia pulled at her glove, then cupped her hands together and lowered her head. "I'll said I'll protect them," she repeated quietly.  _ No matter what the cost, _ she told him wordlessly, meeting Jinrei's eyes.

There was a slight pause, then Jinrei nodded at her. "May the blessings of the Tao be with you," he said softly as he watched her sprint off towards the cathedral. "May they be with us all on this dark evening."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: "Swamp Foxtail" – I don't even know if this plant grows in Japan. Oh well, there aren't any real world gothic cathedral ruins in Japan either, so let's stretch our imaginations a bit. I'm a bit nervous about this chapter, and I hope it came across clearly. It was a little difficult to write, because I realized I'm dealing with some pretty abstract concepts here. I wanted to bring out the qualities that I love best in Xiaoyu, that she's not really mature, that she's not yet an adult, and that she's not "special" like so many of the other tournament participants are. This is what really endears her to me as a character, her… well, normality and humanity. There's a fine strength in being normal that I think a lot of people tend to overlook in this day and age of superhero worship. I really hope that is the message I conveyed with this chapter, and not just a sense that I was "nerfing" Xiaoyu. Ah well, please tell me what you think. Not even flames scare me! And as always, you guys rock. I can't express how grateful I am to you. 100 reviews! -author dies in a little fit of happiness- Thanks so much for your comments!


	19. 18: Rain Dance

Hwoarang raced through the field, slapping away the tall white fronds in his path angrily. "God damn it, Xiaoyu, slow the hell down!" he belted out, his long legs quickly closing the gap between them. He let out another curse as she threw herself into the cathedral ruins heedlessly despite his shout. "Shit, she never listens to anyone," he swore to himself, reaching the entrance to the building. They had closed shut behind Xiaoyu and he placed a firm palm against the heavy iron doors and shoved. They creaked open slowly, and the redhead caught a glimpse of the unusually inky darkness inside. "Great, a haunted house," he mumbled as he stepped over the threshold.

A pulse of energy rippled through the air, and Hwoarang let out a loud yell as he was tossed backwards out into the fields and the doors slammed shut behind him. Sitting up, he rubbed his head. "What the hell was that?" he yelled, springing to his feet. Hwoarang had never overly concerned himself with the more spiritual things in life, let alone more commonplace beliefs in superstitions or folk tales. There was no room in his life for the inexplicable, and when met with it, he reacted in the way that he had always found worked best in the past. That is to say, he reacted with violence.

"Fuck that!" he yelled, running towards the door and slamming his foot into it. The metal rattled and vibrated, but didn't budge. Gritting his teeth, Hwoarang hopped back and jumped up and down, rolling his shoulders. Then with a yell, he spun and kicked the door solidly again. This time the whole frame shook, and small clouds of dust rose around the stone. Smiling, the redhead cracked his knuckles and backed off slowly. Inhaling deeply, he focused his strength and then rushed at the door, leaping into the air and striking it with a final blow. Had the door been made out of bone, it might have shattered. As it was, it only groaned and snapped, emitting another cloud of dust. "Well shit," Hwoarang said after the cloud settled. The huge iron door had been dented enough to break the rusty hinges that were holding it onto the stone walls of the cathedral. By the conventional laws of physics, it should have toppled inward from the force of Hwoarang's last strike. It remained standing, however, solid and sealed tightly shut against any attempt to open it. The redhead cursed and spun around as the rustling of the tall reeds gave away the sound of Julia's approach. "The god damned door is shut!" he yelled at her.

"Then open it," Julia said irately, pushing past him and putting her hand on the door. She yelped and drew back her fingers quickly when they came into contact with the dented metal.

"I already tried that," Hwoarang growled, too angry to insult the Native American.

"This door has been sealed," Julia said, narrowing her eyes. Cautiously, she raised both of her hands to the door, wincing as her palms touched the unnaturally cold metal. "It's going to take more than brute force to open them."

"Can you do it?" Hwoarang asked her impatiently.

Julia swallowed and closed her eyes. "I don't know," she answered apprehensively.

**\- x – x – x -**

Xiaoyu stepped into the dark cathedral, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. Jin's presence was everywhere, saturating the room.  _ This must be his hideaway, _ she realized slowly.  _ He was here all along, right under our noses. _ A large, dim sculpture at the far end of the room was backlit against the huge, magnificently detailed stained-glass window. Cautiously, Xiaoyu crept closer to it. She was still trying to make out the outline of the stone figure when the torches mounted on the walls suddenly blazed into life with sickly blue flames. The sculpture was bathed in light, and Xiaoyu screamed and jumped back. It wasn't an angel, as she had first thought, but a horned devil with leathery wings and clawed hands, grappling with the head of a feral beast. Its face was frozen in a silent snarl, ruby eyes shining like blood in a sculpted face twisted with hate.

"Welcome to my sanctuary," rumbled a voice from overhead, and Xiaoyu spun around and looked up. The sculpture was reduced to a pale echo of the real devil as he gracefully revealed himself. Black feathers rained to the floor as Jin tumbled from the ceiling and landed smoothly before her, his eyes glowing red and the demonic tattoos twisting across his bare chest. He grinned, showing pointed fangs which gleamed dully in the torchlight. "Xiaoyu," he called out, his voice achingly familiar and silky smooth, and yet somehow not Jin's own. Then his smile faded slightly. "You are not alone." A low growl bubbled from his throat, and lifting his arms, lighting crackled up and down the length of his body. "I will not permit anyone to violate the sanctity of my temple!" he roared.

Xiaoyu jumped at the sound of the large doors slamming shut and the loud rustle of bat wings flapping filled the hall. A muffled, loud series of thumps followed which shook and rattled the doors, but they held shut, and when she looked at Jin, she could see him smiling in smug satisfaction. It was a look that was totally foreign to the human Jin's normally impassive face. The urge to flee coupled with the screaming reminder that perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to rush in without a plan mingled in her brain, and Xiaoyu shivered and backed away slowly.  _ It's just the Devil's aura, I won't run away. I won't… _ Though her trembling refused to stop, she forced her feet to remain still and tried to slow her breathing. Gathering her courage, she looked up and met Jin's eyes. "You allowed  _ me _ in," she pointed out loudly.

Jin's face twisted into an ugly grimace, and his eyes bored into her as he approached. "I can savour your pain, bathe in your sorrow and bask in the glow of your anger. And yet," he rumbled, coming closer and grabbing her chin roughly. "I cannot taste your fear." He pulled his lips back and bared his fangs, his breath hot and uncomfortable on her face as he moved so close that their noses almost touched. "I asked you before. This time I will have my answer," he said, his fingers digging into her skin painfully. "Why do you not fear me? How are you different? Why is it that I  _ know _ you?"

Xiaoyu's breath caught; she had been half-expecting Jin to filet her into many tiny pieces from the moment he descended from the ceiling. Realizing that he was waiting for an answer, she hesitated before speaking.  _  Give the wrong answer and he will disembowel me, _ she thought uneasily. "I… I don't fear you, because you're Jin," she said finally.

Jin's eyes narrowed, and before she knew it, his hand was no longer at her chin, but wrapped around her neck. He held her out at arm's length and the tips of his claws dug into her skin, her feet dangling helplessly over the floor. Xiaoyu gasped and choked as he began to increase the pressure around her neck slowly. "I already told you. There is no longer Jin. There is only Devil," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Answer me!"

Xiaoyu's hands came up, futilely trying to pull Jin's clawed hand away as he squeezed her neck. She choked, tears of pain springing into her eyes, and tried to speak. "There is! I know it you can hear me, Jin…" she gasped.

Jin's eyes blazed red, filled with anger, and his fingers cut off any further chance of speaking as he squeezed. Stars began to dance before Xiaoyu's eyes, and desperately, she let go of his wrist and fumbled at her chest. Her fingers finally wrapped around the pendant, and swiftly, she brought it up, beating it against his arm weakly.

Snarling, Jin's gaze landed on the feather, and the pressure around Xiaoyu's throat stopped. A look of confusion crossed his face, and tilting his head down he peered at the white feather, softly glowing in the eerie light. "Where did you get that?" he spat, setting Xiaoyu's feet on the floor and relieving the pressure on her neck just enough to allow her to breathe once more.

Wheezing, Xiaoyu sucked in as much air into her lungs as she could manage and then coughed weakly. "It came from you," she whispered, blinking away her tears and staring at Jin. "It's a part of you, just like Jin is," she continued bravely as Jin's arm dropped away from her neck. "I know it's true. I know you're in there!" she said, holding the feather before him.

Jin took a step backwards, the fiery glow in his eyes dimming as he raised a claw before his face, squinting at the feather. As he did so, a gentle breeze stirred through the temple, and slowly, the colour drained from his black wings, turning them into the same pure white as the feather on the pendant. When the transformation was complete, he lowered his claw and looked at Xiaoyu, his eyes still glowing faintly. The rage within them, however, had been transformed into a look of suffering tempered with an unexpected touch of sanity.

"Jin," Xiaoyu said softly, taking a step forward. "It is you, isn't it?"

"You are mistaken," he said softly, his voice still vibrating with a resonance that was not completely human. He reached forward and wrapped his clawed hand around Xiaoyu's outstretched one. "I am neither wholly Jin, nor am I wholly Devil. I am..." he paused, and his clawed hand released Xiaoyu's own. "I am the memory of something that was once human," he said, his voice pained.

Xiaoyu swallowed, lowering the pendant. "But… you know me. You remember me. I know you feel regret for what you've done. I've seen it!" she protested. "You must be Jin!"

"I am not human!" Jin roared, lightning crackling around his body as he extended his wings, brilliantly illuminating his point.

His white feathers shone with a light that was almost blinding, and Xiaoyu squinted and covered her eyes, trying to protect herself from their painful glare. It reminded her of Asuka's brilliant aura, and her breath caught in her throat.  _ Kazama blood! _ she realized as the light died out. Peeking out between her fingers, she saw that Jin had folded his wings and sunk to his knees, burying his head in his hands. "Jin?" she said cautiously, tiptoeing towards him.

Jin raised his head and looked at Xiaoyu wearily. "You don't understand, Xiaoyu. I am not Jin," he said to her.

"But you know my name!" Xiaoyu protested, kneeling beside him. "You remember me, right?"

Jin smiled faintly, reaching up and brushing a strand of hair away from Xiaoyu's face. "Oh yes, I remember you," he sighed. "Did you know that Jin treasures his memories of you?" he continued, his hand trailing down her cheek. "They are one of the few moments of happiness he allows himself to have. The memory of his mother, and of your carefree smile." He sighed and released Xiaoyu almost unwillingly. "I don't understand this feeling. It weakens me, and yet it gives Jin the strength to keep his tenacious hold on his soul. I think you would call it love," he said after a moment. "Strange, it is such a painful feeling. I thought I had mastered all pain, but I was wrong."

Xiaoyu reached out for him, her heart thrumming in her chest. "You love me?" she asked breathlessly. She gasped and flinched as Jin batted her hand away roughly, his eyes flaring red once more.

"Jin loves you," he growled at her. "The memory of his love is intoxicating. Human emotions burn so very brightly," he mused. Then he looked up and caught Xiaoyu's eye, his own still swirling with their glowing red pulse. "Look at me, Xiaoyu. Look very closely."

As she returned his stare, Xiaoyu saw only pain and suffering in his eyes. She saw recognition in them, too, of herself, and of who he had once been. But the longer she looked, the more uncomfortable she felt. She knew the feeling intimately; she faced it every time she visited Miharu in the hospital. Jin's face was animated, and yet his eyes were still empty, and Xiaoyu finally understood. "So you're really not Jin anymore," she whispered. "You're still the devil." She paused, her hands bunching up her skirt nervously. "Then why are you being so nice to me? Why do you feel bad about doing all those terrible things?"

Jin laughed hollowly, and it sounded like metal cracking. "I am trapped," he told her. "I should kill you now. But  _ he _ holds me back.  _ He _ plagues me constantly with his memories and his desires and his wishes," Jin grit out, his claws digging into the floor and cracking the mosaic. "The echoes of a human soul, caught in a monster's body!" His eyes grew wild and his breathing ragged, and he looked on the brink of losing control of the dark pull that he struggled against. Xiaoyu swallowed and glanced towards the heavy doors; they were still sealed behind her, and she knew she was trapped. Jin's pleading voice caught her attention, and she snapped her head back towards him.

"I could love you," Jin told her urgently, leaning towards her. "I spoke of Jin's happiness. His darkness is so much greater than his happiness." A wry smile stretched over his face, and Xiaoyu noticed that his teeth were still very pointed. "Even if you found a way to return Jin to this body, he could not love you. He was lost even before he was possessed! He drowns in his own sorrows; his own concerns consume his every thought. He is a reflection of the father whom he hates so much, and he does not even realize it. There is no room in his small world for you. There is no room for anyone but himself." He reached out, offering his hand to Xiaoyu. "I am not Jin. I am not bound by his personal struggles. I am the one who released Jin's innermost thoughts. I am the one who revealed his secrets to you. I could give you that which you seek. I could give you the love you desire."

Xiaoyu stared at the creature before her. His face was twisted by the devil mutation, but his eyes burned bright and clear, with a touch of both hope and desperation. In her heart, she knew he was telling the truth.  _  If I accept his offer, he really will love me. He'll make me feel special. Isn't that what I always wanted? The one thing that Jin could never give me… and the one thing that I always wanted to give him. Maybe  _ this _ is destiny. _ Hesitantly, she reached out towards him.

"Save me, Xiaoyu," he murmured, reaching for her.

Xiaoyu's hand paused.  _ Save me? _ His words sliced through her like a sharp blade. Something about his tone, so smooth, so confident, so self-centered, held her back. Surprised, Xiaoyu realized she might have believed him a week ago. Now, however, she knew better.  _ Why did he say that? Real love isn't selfish. _ Warily, she drew back. "I don't think so," she answered him. "I don't love you, and you don't really love me either," she said as Jin's face registered shock.

"I remember Jin's love!" he said to her.

"I came here to talk to Jin, the real Jin," Xiaoyu answered him, scrambling to her feet. Nervously, she noticed that he managed to roll to his feet fluidly in time with her despite the confusion on his face. "I don't know if I love the real Jin. I thought I did before, but I was wrong. Maybe if he was the one who was speaking to me, I really could fall in love with him now," she said, stepping backwards. Jin mirrored her step. "But you're not Jin. You're just his memories. You've betrayed him by telling me his secrets, you made a decision for him that wasn't yours to make!" She took another step backwards. This time Jin took two steps, drawing closer to her.

"Xiaoyu—" he said to her pleadingly.

"I know what you're really after! You want me to comfort you, to explain away Jin's feelings so you can understand why they make you weak," Xiaoyu pressed on, despite her growing uneasiness. "Maybe somewhere deep down, you really do want to be loved too," she said to him, feeling a small wave of pity for the white-winged creature. "But what about Jin? He'll die if I abandon him."

"Why do you insist on following him like a slavish puppy? Jin will never show you his affection! Accept me in his place!" Jin hissed at her, reaching out and grabbing her.

Xiaoyu wrenched her wrist, trying to twist it out of Jin's tight grasp. "Even if he didn't love me, I'd rather have the real Jin back than let something evil like you continue to live!" she yelled out, her foot coming up in a high kick. It caught Jin on the side of the head, and he reeled back unsteadily, releasing her wrist.  _ I'm free, _ Xiaoyu thought with relief. The relief faded, however, as quickly as the white was melting from Jin's wings.

"I would have let you go," Jin said roughly, his voice deepening. "I could have filled your every desire." His regret transformed into a disgusted mirth, and Jin spread his wings wide. "I am still grateful to you, little girl," he said, leaping into the air and hovering there like a dark nightmare come to life. "You may just have cured me of the only ailment that stood in my way of facing that old fool!"

Xiaoyu dropped into her guard, holding her hands before her. "I'm not going to let you take Heihachi's soul too!" she told him grimly.

Jin laughed loudly, grinning at Xiaoyu as he regarded her through slit eyes. "Fool! I am the reaper who will collect the souls of the entire Mishima clan. But I will start with the eldest," he hissed. "You know nothing. Perhaps that will be my gift to you," he added as the black symbols twisted and curled over his forehead. "I will grant you a painless death, bathed in the darkness of your own ignorance." His smile turned into a snarl, and he bared his fangs in an ugly frown. "Who dares—"

Jin's words were cut off by a loud, high-pitched creak. It was followed by a loud thud, and a cloud of dust rolled in from the cathedral doors. When it cleared, Hwoarang was standing there, his foot still outstretched, and Julia stood behind him. "So, did we miss the party?" Hwoarang grinned, lowering his leg and brazenly strolling into the dark cathedral.

"Don't let him take your soul," Julia called out, following the Korean inside with much less fanfare. Her face was pale and waxy, but her eyes glinted like polished stone in the dark cathedral. "Devil!" she called out loudly, pointing at him. "Release the souls of the innocents you've stolen."

Jin tilted his head, twisting his body around to face the newcomers. "So it's you who broke my seal," he said with a sneer. "You have no power in here, woman. This is my temple now."

"You wanna see power? Fine. Come on down here, then!" Hwoarang yelled, his swagger turning into a dead run. As he spoke, he threw himself into the air with a spectacular jump, spinning around and driving his left foot into a very surprised Jin. The devil beat his wings helplessly as Hwoarang's kick carried him closer to the ground. Instead of landing with his victim, however, Hwoarang launched himself into another airborne spin and slammed his right foot into Jin's chest. He completed the spin, adding a final spectacular kick with his left foot which knocked Jin solidly into the ground. "And stay down," he added, backing off and hopping on the balls of his feet.

"Insolent fool," Jin snarled, rising to his feet. "I will show you what flight is!" He bared his teeth and rushed at Hwoarang, dipping down and hitting the Korean in the stomach with his lowered shoulder. Instead of simply knocking him down with the blow, however, Jin wrapped his arms around Hwoarang's waist and extended his wings, and with a few powerful strokes carried them high up into the air.

"Shit!" Hwoarang yelled as the ground spun away all too quickly. He made a grab for Jin's back, trying to prevent himself from being dropped.

"So you want me to land, do you?" Jin sneered as he twisted violently through the air and reversed directions. His demonic laughter echoed off the cathedral walls as he beat his wings once more, his arms still wrapped around Hwoarang as they sped towards the ground at a dizzying speed.

"Look out!" Julia yelled, leaping forward and barrelling into Xiaoyu, knocking her away from the point of impact as Jin flattened Hwoarang into the cathedral floor. Julia quickly scrambled to her feet as Jin's laughter stopped, and her eyes widened in shock. "No!" she cried out, throwing herself towards Jin.

Xiaoyu gasped and blinked, coming to her feet more slowly than her friend had. She blinked and looked at Julia, surprised by the older girl's sudden rush, and felt the pit of her stomach drop out. Over the Native American's shoulder, she could already see Jin hovering in the air, bowled over. "The third eye!" she screamed, even as it formed and split open across Jin's forehead. "Hwoarang! Move!" she shouted desperately, trying to move her legs fast enough to intercept them. It felt like time was slowing down, as if she and Julia were flies trapped in the amber of the cathedral's thick atmosphere.

Hwoarang groaned and opened his eyes, and found himself looking directly at Jin. "God dam-" he yelled, raising his arms. He never got any further, as red light erupted from Jin's forehead. It seared into his outstretched forearm, charring the flesh there with a sickening smell. The burns were not what made Hwoarang stiffen, though. His eyes met Jin's, and his body grew tense. They stared at each other for a moment, each frozen in a silent battle of wills. And then it was over, and the redhead was falling backwards, his eyes still open but glassy.

Xiaoyu felt herself go numb. The amber melted away, but it was already too late. "Hwoarang!" she cried, tumbling to his side even as Julia cursed softly and leapt over his body, unable to stop her own rush. Xiaoyu grabbed Hwoarang's head, turning his face towards her, and couldn't suppress her shudder.  _ Gone! He's gone, _ she realized, looking into his empty eyes. Without the constant anger, humour or bravado splashed across his face, the redhead looked much younger than he actually was. Xiaoyu released him with almost as much speed as she had grabbed him, sickened and scared.  _ That's not Hwoarang anymore,  _ she thought miserably as she looked on the soulless husk lying in front of her.

"Devil!" Julia's voice rang out. She was standing before him, her fists raised and her eyes hard as flint. "I won't allow you to claim any more innocent souls. Fight me now!"

Jin turned almost lazily, a smile stretching across his face. "The little Chang," he hissed. "Timba-Sha Shoshone. I know your secrets," he smirked. Julia let out a small gasp, then her face fell into a scowl. "I'll defeat you anyway," she said angrily, cautiously inching herself backwards.

Xiaoyu looked at Julia, fear curling in her stomach. Her face was still pale and beaded with sweat, but it was the surprised expression on the older girl's face that worried her most of all. "What did he say?" she asked, coming to her feet slowly and approaching Julia's side.

"Stay back!" Julia ordered, not bothering to turn around. "You don't have any defenses, Xiaoyu. He'll take your soul as easily as he took Hwoarang's."

"Are you afraid to answer her?" Jin said mockingly, circling around the temple lazily. "Long has your tribe been a plague to us," he hissed, his eyes glowing and a wicked smile spread across his face. "Your blood may be purer than that foreign bitch you called your mother, but your soul is much weaker," he taunted.

"Don't you dare mention her," Julia answered, her voice heavy with anger as her fists tightened. "Don't you dare sully her name by speaking it!"

" _ Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil," _ Jin said smoothly, his eyes narrowing as he sunk towards the ground. "Tell me, does your cup runneth over now, daughter of the spirits?"

"Bastard!" Julia yelled with a low cry as she dropped to the ground. Landing heavily on one arm, she pushed herself forward and kicked her legs out, arcing off the ground like a strung bow. Her feet connected with Jin solidly, knocking him out of the air once more, and as he stumbled backwards, she was already on her feet, the graceful extension of her arm hardly matching the fury and power with which she struck him across the chest.

Jin sailed into the air, careening towards the huge demonic statue near the windows. He caught himself on the sculpture and flipped around, perching precariously on the stone demon's back. "Such unfocused, useless anger!" Jin cried, his eyes lighting with pleasure. "And no cleansing motive to give it an unsavoury aftertaste. You must allow me to sample more," he laughed, pumping his wings and launching himself into the air.

"Julia!" Xiaoyu cried out to the older girl, who was livid with rage.

"Let her be!" Jin's voice boomed as he circled through the air. "She will join her mother soon enough!"

"The spirits will bring justice to you!" Julia cried, crouching down and taking a step back. With a hop, she sent herself flying into the air, drawing her arms and knees into her chest. Xiaoyu recognized the powerful jump, the one that had impressed her so much when the Native American defeated Baek during the tournament. Only this time, she couldn't shake off her foreboding feelings as the two figures approached each other in mid-air; Baek had been human, and Julia had been anything but angry. Jin grinned and righted himself, opening his arms towards Julia, and Xiaoyu screamed. The red eye was already opening as the older girl approached him, and there would be no way to avoid the blast. The surprise that registered on Julia's face showed that she had also not been expecting the attack, but instead of trying to block the energy with her hands, as Hwoarang had done, she flung her arms open. The red light erupted from Jin's forehead and speared straight into her chest as Xiaoyu watched in horror.

"Ugh!" Julia grunted loudly as the beam of light hit the large silver amulet dangling around her neck. Instead of destroying the jewellery and burning through her skin, however, the necklace began to glow bright red and broke off, clattering to the ground.

Jin roared in anger. "That useless amulet won't protect you from-" he growled, his snarl cut off as Julia barrelled into him. Julia said nothing, her eyes squinting in concentration as they fell together, struggling with Jin to turn herself upright and not be the one to impact on the floor painfully. With a yell, she managed to twist around at the last moment and dig her knees into Jin's chest, driving him into the tiled floor with a loud crack. She sprung off of Jin with surprising agility and backed off, her fists raised before her.

"I don't believe it!" Xiaoyu yelled, running to Julia's side as relief and hope flooded through her. "You kept your sou—" Her words trailed off as Julia wavered and took another step back, then sank to one knee, her fist dropping to the ground. "Julia?"

The Native American kept her gaze locked on Jin, who groaned and stirred slightly. "It wasn't… enough," she gasped as Jin sat up, shaking his head, his fangs bared in anger. "Xiaoyu…" she tried to continue, but trailed off as her body toppled forward.

"Julia!" Xiaoyu yelled, reaching for the other girl's shoulders and pulling her up. She sucked in her breath and almost dropped her again as her fingers came into contact with Julia's body.  _ Nothing… I can always feel her presence, like the ground beneath my feet. But there's nothing now!  _  Xiaoyu swallowed thickly as she carefully lowered Julia's limp body to the ground, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "Hwoarang, and now you!" she cried softly. "You were both trying to protect me, and…"

"And you killed them," Jin finished, rising to his feet. "Don't feel bad, Xiaoyu. I would have had to kill that tribal witch sometime anyway," he said with boredom. The battles with Hwoarang and Julia had taken their toll on him as well; his gait was hindered by a marked limp as he approached her. Still, it didn't give her any hope as he towered over her, his black wings spread wide and a confident smirk on his face. "I took much pleasure in destroying the male, though," he said, drawing his lips back in a sickly smile. "You are mine alone, Xiaoyu. Just because you do not want me doesn't mean I will let you go," he said softly. "If we cannot be together in body, then we will join our souls. The decision is no longer yours," he told her, the black patterns swirling over his forehead and forming into the third eye.

"Please don't," Xiaoyu whispered, the strength rushing out of her knees as she fell backwards. It wasn't fear that immobilized her, nor panic; it was a sense of despair.  _ Everyone's gone.  _  Though he wore Jin's face, she could no longer be fooled by the devil. Instead of seeing her old crush, all she saw was Miharu, Hwoarang and Julia, their empty eyes and lifeless bodies replacing any beauty that might have been there with the horror of death. Even his features were a cruel joke; the real Jin was no better off, his soul also consumed by the devil's darkness. "Leave me alone!" she said weakly.

Jin's face softened marginally, and he held out his arms to her as the eye on his forehead filled with red and slowly opened. "Don't be afraid, Xiaoyu. We will be together forever," he whispered to her.

Xiaoyu closed her eyes and waited to feel the searing heat that would separate her soul from her body. Instead, she felt a blast of heat pass by her cheek, and instinctively flinched away. Her eyes shot open, and she looked up in shock. Jin was equally shocked, reeling from pressure of not only his attack, but one other.

Not so shocked was Asuka, who stood there with a furious glint in her eye, clapping her fist into her palm. "Listen, I don't know you too well," she began, lowering her arms and advancing on Jin. "But if you've got the balls to do all this and still call yourself a Kazama, then I'm gonna have to take you down," she yelled, rushing towards him and tackling him on the stomach. Jin was knocked over and grunted in surprise, and Asuka kneeled over him, holding his shoulder down as she raised a fist to punch him in the face. "Eat your own medicine!" she yelled, driving her fist across his cheek.

Jin's head snapped back from the punch and he let out an inhuman scream that made both girls freeze.

"What a sissy!" Asuka yelled in disbelief as she raised another fist to silence him. She looked up in surprise as Xiaoyu caught her fist and held it back. "Are you crazy?" she yelled, staring up at Xiaoyu in shock.

"Look!" Xiaoyu shouted over Jin's rising wail, pointing at his chest.

Asuka's hand, which was still gripping Jin's shoulder, was surrounded with a soft white glow. The more the light increased, the more frenzied Jin's struggles became, and he twisted and bucked wildly, trying to throw Asuka off. The young girl let out a tiny yell and dropped her other hand onto Jin's shoulder, trying to hang on before he could toss her away. Her other palm immediately began to radiate the same pure, white light, and Jin roared in pain. "Help me hold him down!" Asuka grit out, and Xiaoyu rushed to comply.

Grabbing onto his legs, Xiaoyu held on for dear life as Jin attempted to rise to his feet, roaring incomprehensibly. He almost succeeded more than once; Jin was unbelievably strong, and despite the fact that they were working together, both girls were having a hard time keeping him pinned to the ground. And then, Jin's body tensed, and Xiaoyu felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Jin screamed, his wings folding out as he threw Asuka and Xiaoyu off. His body rose into the sky, but his wings weren't moving; it was as if a string had been attached to his chest and was drawing him up towards the ceiling.

"What the heck's going on?" Asuka cried out, covering her head as the ground began to rumble.

Xiaoyu couldn't answer her, staring wide-eyed at Jin's body, which contorted in agony. She didn't even blink when the demonic statue cracked and then burst apart, though she did flinch as thousands of tiny splinters of coloured glass showered across the floor, a few striking her across the cheek and leaving streaks of blood in their wake. The shattered remains of the stained glass window fell around Jin's airborne body like drops of silver rain. And she held her breath as she saw it, because suddenly, it was a beautiful sight, the first one she had seen in almost a week.

Jin's head was arched back, and his mouth still open in a loud cry. But the cry was dwindling, losing its unnatural echo as the black lines writhed and twirled around his body like living snakes. They curled in on themselves, becoming smaller and smaller, until only the third eye remained in his forehead, turning and twisting, trying to keep itself shut. The cleansing touch of Asuka's powerful aura finally burst through and the eye ripped open, letting out a beam of pure white light.

Xiaoyu closed her eyes and wrapped her hands around herself, heedless of the glass raining around them and barely registering Asuka's cowering form. She felt laughter bubbling up in her throat, already feeling what Asuka could not, what the young girl might never know despite her incredible spiritual power. It was the caress of pure souls, rejoicing in their freedom as they escaped from Jin's body. Julia's, first, wrapping around her like a gentle hug before being whisked away like a gust of wind. Then a rush of heat as Hwoarang's soul burst forth, impatiently rushing through her like a runaway train, making her body tingle with joy as it bathed her with its vibrant energy. And finally, a soft, barely noticeable tickle, one that lingered slightly longer than the other two. Its touch was the barest puff of a breath on her cheek, and it vanished like a gentle sigh after a few moments. "Miharu," she whispered, fresh tears running down her face. But this time, they were tears of joy.

Jin's scream finally stopped, and the light radiating from his body dimmed and winked out. He fell to the ground in a boneless heap, his eyes closed and his body covered with sweat.  _ But, _ Xiaoyu noticed as she shakily rose to her feet.  _ It's  _ **_his_ ** _ body now. It's Jin, only Jin. The real one this time. _ And she knew it was true, because she could feel it; Jin's roiling soul, as dark and troubled as ever, but clear and smooth as water. The unnatural taint was gone, leaving his soul as pure as the pale skin on his bare chest.

"Will somebody tell me what is going on here?" Asuka's shrill cry broke through Xiaoyu's happiness, and she looked back at the young girl, who had come out of her duck more than a little wild-eyed. Besides her obvious confusion, however, she looked no worse for the wear. "What just happened? What did he do with his wings? What was that light? Why are you laughing? And why do I feel…" Asuka trailed off, her angry shrieks fading into a mumble as she fell backwards mid-speech. She hit the ground with a loud thump, and moments later Xiaoyu heard a snore.

"Wow," Xiaoyu said, looking back and forth between Jin and Asuka, both sprawled unconscious across the floor, her eyes wide. A small part of her was sad; Yoshimitsu and Jinrei had been proven right, after all. "I didn't do anything," she whispered to herself. She probed the feeling, expecting to find it the knowledge more painful than it actually was. Yet, to her surprise, instead of the aching gap that had driven her to the temple in a fit of anger, all she could summon was relief that it was all finally over. Jin was healed and that the souls that he had stolen were released. Suddenly, she didn't care how it happened; the overwhelming relief that the nightmare was finally over overrode all of her other feelings. She stopped short at the last thought. "Hwoarang! Julia!" she gasped, turning around and searching the cathedral floor for them. Her short-lived panic ended with another laugh as she ran over to Julia's side.

"I won't let you win," Julia mumbled as she pushed herself off of the ground. Blinking, she looked around in surprise as Xiaoyu enveloped her in a tight hug. "Oof! Xiaoyu! What happened? Where's Jin?" Julia asked rapidly, pushing the girl away. Her eyes widened, and she brought her fingers up to Xiaoyu's cheek. "You're bleeding!" she yelled.

Xiaoyu laughed and crushed a very surprised Julia in another hug. "And you're talking!" she said, unable to wipe the huge smile off her face.

"Ugh… god damned mother fuc—"

"Hwoarang!" Xiaoyu yelled, releasing Julia and racing over to the redhead. She grabbed him in a tight hug, and he winced and yelled in pain.

"OWW! Watch the arm! Watch the arm!" he shouted, flinching away from her grasp. "Where the hell is that bastard?" Hwoarang grit out, cradling his arm and leaping to his feet. He blinked and shook his head as he took in his surroundings, trying to orient himself. "What the fuck just happened?" he finally spit out, trying to allow anger cover his confusion. He finally gave up and dropped his scowl when he realized that Xiaoyu had not gotten up, and was still grinning at him with a goofy smile.

"I never thought I'd be happy to hear you curse again," Xiaoyu said, rising to her feet. "So you better let out all those bad words right now before this moment ends," she told him, her eyes sparkling.

Julia looked up from Jin's side, where she had kneeled down and touched his forehead. "What did happen here? The last thing I remember was passing out," Julia called out. "Xiaoyu?"

Xiaoyu scrambled to her feet, her bright smile toning down slightly as she made her way to Asuka's side. "A miracle happened!" she shouted in reply, lifting the young girl up. She thought of the devil's desperate plea, and fixed her eyes on Jin's still body. There was a small tug of sadness as one hand rose to the feather pendant at her neck, thinking of the white-winged devil.  _ Some small part of him of really did love me in his own warped way,  _ she realized faintly. Her smile returned as Asuka stirred in her arms, groaning slightly. "The only thing that could really save Jin happened," she finished softly. "A Kazama-sized miracle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I should explain one of Jin's taunts, since I'm not entirely certain I will do a spin-off Julia-centric fic after this and it won't make sense otherwise.
> 
> Game Canon: Michele Chang is from an Indian tribe, and adopted Julia Chang as a daughter. Chang is about as far away from Native American as you can get, and Michele looks very Chinese. Michele went missing during the 3rd tournament, presumably because Heihachi kidnapped her to steal her tribe's treasure, the amulet that could control Ogre. Julia entered the 3rd tournament to look for Michele.  
> Story Canon: Expounding on the game canon, Michele Chang was an American of Chinese descent, adopted into the Timba-Sha Shoshone tribe (Death Valley, California) because of her unusual spiritual sensitivity. That tribe had a history of tussling with the more unsavoury parts of the unnatural, hence why Devil knows of them and why the tribe wanted Michele in the first place. Michele adopted Julia after the tribe members who were Julia's natural parents died unexpectedly. Michele also died fighting Ogre in the 3rd tournament. Hence, the reason that Jin calls Julia "pure-blooded" yet "weaker" than her mother, and why Julia gets riled up about it.  
> Before I get any OMG HOW DO U KNOW THAT? emails, please note that Michele might not actually be either American, Chinese, or dead in the game canon, only in this story. Also, to the Timba-Sha Shoshone, I offer my sincere apologies if any of this fiction offends, it was never my intent to do that. Phew. That explanation was so long there's no room for the author to put a note in, besides a mention that this is not the last chapter, there is at least 1 or 2 more chapters that Xiaoyu has to tell. And the usual "this chapter was a real bitch to write" stuff. Ending things is always difficult. You reviewers know all know you're awesome! Thank you for leaving your comments!


	20. 19: Parting Sweep

The moon shone overhead, spreading its bright, silvery light over the softly waving fields of grass. For a moment, a stray cloud drifted across the sky, blanketing the earth in darkness.

A pair of pounding feet came to a sudden halt, and the sound of ragged breathing filled the air. "Oh no… come on, come on!" a whispered a tiny voice quietly between gasps. As if hearing the request, the cloud slowly drifted away, nudged along its course by the gentle breeze, and the silver light returned.

Xiaoyu straightened up, pushing her hands off of her knees and wiping some sweat from her face. "I can see the road," she noted, and resumed her sprint towards it. A large stitch was blooming in her side, and she concentrated on sucking in the cool night air through her nose and expelling it out of her mouth.  _ Breathe… breathe, and float. Don't feel the pain. Just breathe and float. _ She repeated the exercise over and over in her head, pumping her arms rhythmically in time to the motion of her feet.  _ Breathe and float. Another one of Jinrei's lessons. Grandpa… _

Her feet caught and she stumbled, and with a tiny grunt, Xiaoyu brought herself under control and pushed the tickling thought to the back of her head.  _ Breathe and float. Don't think. Thinking slows you down. Thinking brings understanding. Understanding brings knowledge. Knowledge brings regret. Breathe. Just breathe. _ Her legs pushed her onwards, and she almost cried in relief as her feet left the soft fields and hit the unforgiving asphalt of the road. Raising her head, Xiaoyu increased her pace, no longer having to worry about watching for the tiny pitfalls and mounds that were scattered through the uneven field of grass. She wondered briefly if she was, in fact, moving faster than Jinrei.  _ Racing to meet nothing, _ Xiaoyu thought to herself.  _ Sounds familiar. Oh yeah, that's the story of my life. _ She would have giggled if she had any breath left to spare.

It was only a distraction, a game she knew she was playing with herself. Jinrei could move as fast as he wanted when he felt like it. She still didn't quite understand how he managed to do it.  _ Maybe it comes naturally when you pass your hundredth birthday _ , she quipped to herself. Still, she ignored the burning in her calves, the fire racing up her thighs, and the searing in her lungs.  _ Breathe and float, _ she told herself, sucking in another mouthful of air.  _ Breathe and float, and it won't be too late. _

The dark, smooth road reflected the silvery light of the moon like a river cutting up the mountainside. Xiaoyu felt her mind begin to wander again as she mechanically followed the curve of the pavement. She wondered how much of a head start Jinrei had actually had, and berated herself again for the precious moments she had wasted in the cathedral. The bright moon shone overhead, gilding her memories with its cold, pale light.

**\- x –** _ flashback _ **– x -**

"So it's finally over," Julia said, bending down and reverently picking up the silver amulet that had fallen from her neck during the battle. "Is your friend Miharu also—" she asked hesitantly, her face melting into a smile as Xiaoyu nodded wildly at the older girl.

"I think Jin's been cured, too," Xiaoyu said, helping a very groggy Asuka sit up.

"Now that's what I wanna hear," Hwoarang said, cradling his burnt arm as he strode over to Jin's body and kneeled down.

"Don't you dare pick a fight with him when he wakes up!" Xiaoyu yelled shrilly, and Hwoarang turned around and smirked at her.

"I'll watch him," Julia said dryly after a moment, joining Hwoarang and crossing her arms as she stood over him. "I can't believe you," she said to the redhead, glaring down at him. "After everything we've seen and experienced, you still haven't grown up."

Hwoarang shrugged and snuck a glance at Xiaoyu, giving her a conspiratorial wink. "It's the small things in life, Chang. The small things." He turned and prodded Jin in the arm as the black-haired man groaned slightly. "Hey! Wake up, bastard," Hwoarang said, poking Jin again.

"Wha… what happened?" Jin said weakly, turning his head slightly. "Where am I?" His eyes cracked open, and the first thing he saw was Hwoarang's wide grin. He blinked again.

"Mornin'! Remember a little something about a promise you made me a couple of tournaments ago?" Hwoarang said cheerfully, waving at Jin.

"I must still be in hell," Jin mumbled, letting his head drop back to the ground and shutting his eyes wearily.

Xiaoyu watched Hwoarang begin to yell at Jin, and Julia in turn deliver a swift kick to the Korean's shin. A smile crept over her face. "Yep, back to normal," she observed, covering her mouth and giggling. A small motion caught her attention, and she turned back to Asuka, who was rubbing her eyes blearily. "Are you alright?" she asked to the young girl quietly. "What you did back there was really amazing! A lot of people owe you their thanks. Me included," she added shyly.

Asuka shook her head and looked up at Xiaoyu. "What for? I still don't get what just happened." She glanced around the ruined cathedral and spotted Jin, and her eyes narrowed. "So he's still here, huh? Well let me at him, I'll—"

"Hey!" Xiaoyu said, holding the other girl back as she struggled to rise to her feet. "It's okay now. Jin's been cured. See? No wings?" She had to wonder a bit as the suspicious expression remained on Asuka's face despite the obvious change in Jin.  _ She's as slow as Hwoarang _ , Xiaoyu thought uncharitably, and stifled a tiny giggle at the thought.

"Well, if you say so," Asuka said after a moment. "But if he tries any funny business when he wakes up, that's it!" she added. Then after taking in their surroundings, "I really did all this?" Her voice was much smaller.

Xiaoyu grinned and sat by the younger girl, crossing her hands over her knees. She felt Julia's eyes on her and repressed another urge to giggle.  _ Me, giving advice to someone else? _ Swallowing her urge to laugh outright at the image, she smiled at Asuka. "Well not really all of it. Jin messed up this place before you even got here," Xiaoyu answered. "But you did save him. He was possessed, and you managed to break the hold the evil had on his soul."

Asuka leaned forward and chewed on her lower lip. "Purified him, huh?" she said after a moment. "Wow. I always thought those stories my dad told me were a bunch of baloney!" she added. "Maybe I should tell him about this when he wakes up."

Xiaoyu's mouth dropped open. "Your dad doesn't know you're here?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course not!" Asuka said, shrugging. "He'd ground me for life if he knew. The Iron Fist Tournament brought nothing but trouble to Auntie Jun, after all."

Xiaoyu giggled. "Considering how well you did, he's still going to blow his top when he sees the news."

Asuka's face fell and her mouth dropped open. "No kidding! I hadn't thought of that," she replied mournfully. "I didn't even find the guy I came looking for!"

"Lucky for us that you came at all," Xiaoyu answered. Then she paused, her eyebrows drawing together quizzically. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought my grandfather had big plans for you," she continued.

Asuka snapped her fingers, sitting up suddenly. "That's right! I almost forgot to tell you. You granddad did try to stop me at first."

Xiaoyu felt her mouth drop open in shock. "You didn't beat my grandfather up, did you? He's a hundred and five years old!" she gasped, her eyes watering. "How could you do that to a helpless little old man?" She snickered inwardly as Asuka's eyes bulged in shock.

"Helpless little… what? And no! And I didn't beat him up!" she hastily explained. "He sent me here, actually."

This caught Xiaoyu's attention, and she dropped her grieved grandchild act. "What? But why?"

"Well, after your tall friend left us," Asuka said, gesturing at Julia, "he said something about the Tao. Then I asked him why I couldn't go help you guys out, and he looked kind of funny."

"Kind of funny? What kind of funny? Angry? Surprised? Constipated?" Xiaoyu asked nervously.

Asuka shook her head. "No, I mean, he looked sad. Then he said some more weird stuff. I didn't really get what he was talking about," she admitted.

Xiaoyu tried to resist the urge to grab Asuka by the collar of her jumpsuit and shake her back and forth. It probably wouldn't have helped, considering that the other girl would have been more than capable of physically incapacitating her if she did so. "Try to remember," she pleaded, squeezing her hands together.

Asuka glanced at Xiaoyu, seeing the seriousness on her face, and sighed. She squinted and thought. "I think he said… something about a sparrow. Yeah, he said he loved it, I think. Something about not being able to lose his sparrow and him being an old man whose time was up. Then he told me to get to this place as quick as I could. Like I said, it didn't make any sense."

Xiaoyu felt her elation draining away as a nagging fear gnawed at her mind, like a persistent itch she couldn't scratch. "He said he loved his little sparrow?" she asked quietly. "And that his time was up?" Seeing Asuka's nod, she closed her eyes.  _ Another puzzle, and another piece,  _ she thought to herself, this time examining Jinrei's clues.

" _ Sometimes the greater good must come before our own selfish desires. The fate of the entire world is at stake. What good is it to save only one, if many will die as the consequence?" _

"Our own selfish desires," she repeated quietly, a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Oh grandpa, you didn't," she murmured.

"He didn't what?" Asuka asked curiously.

Xiaoyu ignored her, instead keeping her eyes closed and focusing on feeling the sensations all around her. The dark, oppressive evil in the cathedral had been completely banished, and the warm and gentle presence of her friends surrounded her. She pushed harder, and then, she felt it. The slight, ever present drain, the unravelling of the fabric; it was still there, an almost unnoticeable blight on the land.  _ "…if we rid this world of the evil that was awakened on the summit…" _ she said, her eyes popping open. "He's gone to the summit!" she gasped, scrambling to her feet. "Grandpa's gone to the summit by himself!"

"Is there a problem, Xiaoyu?" Julia asked curiously.

Xiaoyu's head shot up, and she regarded her friends. Julia was smiling at her, standing there with one hand on her hip. Hwoarang was kneeling at her feet, still riling Jin with a smirk. Jin had yet to rise, his eyes remaining shut as he breathed slowly and tried to ignore Hwoarang. And to her side, Asuka was watching them avidly. If it hadn't been for their injuries, they might have looked like a normal collection of friends.  _ But, _ Xiaoyu thought, studying her friends closer.  _ Things aren't always the way they seem. _ Julia's face was paler than normal, the beginnings of dark rings circling under her eyes. Hwoarang teasing was interrupted by his occasional hiss of pain, and his arm was curled protectively into his stomach. Jin's ignorance of Hwoarang seemed to stem more from a deep weariness than an actual desire to avoid the Korean. And Asuka swayed next to her, trying to stifle another yawn.

"Xiaoyu?" Julia asked again with a note of concern, and this time Hwoarang looked up. Xiaoyu knew they'd join her if she asked without a second thought. They were friends, after all.

_ Sometimes the greater good must come before our own selfish desires. _

Xiaoyu plastered a smile on her face and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm just really happy," she said cheerfully. "I can't believe it's all over." Then giving Asuka a pat on the back, she stood up and brushed herself off. "I'm going to go get my grandpa," she told them. "He really needs to see this!"

Julia raised an eyebrow speculatively. "Okay… just be careful out there. I'm not sure what it is, but something still doesn't feel right."

Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue. "You worry too much!" she called out, and skipped towards the cathedral doors.  _ I'm sorry, _ she thought quietly as she turned her back to the others, the smile dropping from her face.  _ Thank you for everything, but this is my problem now, and mine alone. _ And as soon as she was standing in the silvery moonlight, she set off at a run.

**\- x – x – x -**

Xiaoyu coughed and jogged to a stop, her feet finding their own way up the now-familiar path. "This used to be home," she whispered, shivering as the wind blew a cloud of dust and silt her way. Heihachi's old mansion was long gone, blown into smithereens by the attack of the Jack androids. Their bomb had been more than effective; not only the house was gone, but also all vegetation in the area. Even the irregular landscape had been flattened out by the force of the blast. Strangely enough, though, nature had yet to reclaim the barren wasteland. The wind howled around her, and Xiaoyu knew why.

"It's here," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself and moving forward. "The source of the drain is here." The moonlight illuminated the unnaturally smooth plateau, and standing in the middle, she saw a small, bent figure studying the sky. "Grandpa!" she called out, breaking into a trot to meet him.

He turned slowly, his black eyes squinting and a small smile spreading across his face. "Little sparrow," he greeted her. "How happy I am to see you here. And how sad I am to see you here."

"It's the will of the Tao," Xiaoyu joked. "Yin and Yang. You can never be just happy to see me, can you, grandpa."

"How you've grown," Jinrei chuckled softly, cupping Xiaoyu's cheeks in his hands and bringing her head down to his. They touched foreheads in the moonlight, and Xiaoyu closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace settle inside of her. "My little sparrow. Thank you for seeing an old man one last time. But now you must leave, and quickly, before you are discovered."

Xiaoyu kept her eyes shut and reached out, wrapping her hands tightly around Jinrei's own. "I won't leave you, grandfather."

"Child, you do not know what I must face."

"What  _ we _ have to face," Xiaoyu said stubbornly. "We're family. It took me two years away from home to realize how important that is to me now. You can't throw your life away now just when I've finally understood! I'm not going to let you do this alone."

Silence settled around them. Finally, Jinrei let out a heavy sigh. "If you keep this up, Xiaoyu, you will not live to learn respect for your elders."

"Good, respect is overrated," Xiaoyu answered, raising her head and smiling at Jinrei.

He slapped her on the cheek gently, a small, crooked smile gracing his features. "Prepare yourself then, little sparrow. He comes."

Xiaoyu nodded with a small hum, and turned around. She jumped as she saw another, stouter figure approaching them; the plateau was still barren all around them, and as far as she could tell, he must have materialized out of thin air. "How do you old guys do that?" she whispered to Jinrei loudly, watching the other man approach.

"Mind your manners!" Jinrei said strictly, folding his hands behind his back and walking out to meet the larger man. "So, old friend," he called out. "We meet again."

"Jinrei," he replied. "I'm so glad you came."

The first thing Xiaoyu noticed about the man was the curved upsweep of his beard. The long white hair spiked up above his ears in a way that defied gravity and clearly identified him as a Mishima. He was, in fact, the largest Mishima she had ever laid eyes on, a hulking brute of a man that would have towered over even Heihachi. His pock-marked skin was also an unnaturally dark; Xiaoyu thought he looked like a piece of leather that had been left for too long in the sun to rot, turning brown and scarred with decay. Though he was mostly bald, the remainder of his stringy white hair was so long it swept the ground. Other than these things, however, he appeared for all intents and purposes to be a normal human being. "You know this guy, grandpa?" Xiaoyu asked quietly, stepping closer to them.

"I do," Jinrei answered. "He is an old friend from my childhood, we were once very close," he said carefully. "Why did you summon me to this tournament, Jinpachi?" he asked the large man.

Jinpachi smiled, and his teeth were as yellow and rotted as his brown skin. Xiaoyu tried not to wince at the sight. "You know the answer to that question already, old man. I need your help."

"You cannot ask me to do this," Jinrei replied his hands unfolding from his back and falling limply to his sides. He sounded old and very tired in that moment.

Jinpachi looked at Xiaoyu, and his smile faded. "Do you remember what it was like to be young, my friend? To be full of life and vitality and beauty, when the future was still a great mystery waiting to be explored with eager hands?"

Xiaoyu blinked under his scrutiny, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Grandpa…" she said uncertainly; the huge man was beginning to creep her out.

"Your granddaughter is lovely," Jinpachi told Jinrei, who gave him a silent nod of assent. "Do you wish to give her the same chance we have had, to stumble and fall into the same traps as we did in our youth? Do you ever wish to see that light extinguished with age and knowledge, that beauty fade with the passing of time?" He came closer, his hand reaching out as if to touch Xiaoyu's face, and Jinrei's arm shot out, blocking the path of the strange man's fingers before they could make contact.

"You will not harm my granddaughter," he said simply.

Jinpachi laughed. "I am not the one who will harm her!" he said, backing away slowly. "Age, the passage of time, the loss of innocence, these things will harm her! I am the only one who can protect her. I can preserve that fleeting youth and beauty for all time," he said lowly. "If we end things now, that beauty will never fade, never decay into the corruption of adulthood."

Jinrei sunk into his guard, and Xiaoyu swallowed nervously. "Grandpa, who is he?" she asked quietly even as she prepared herself to fight.

"He is Jinpachi Mishima, the father of Heihachi Mishima and the sponsor of this farce of a tournament," Jinrei answered. "And he should not be here."

Xiaoyu let the words sink in, and her eyes widened. "You mean he's dead?" she screeched after a moment, scooting back. "Oh my God, grandpa, don't let him bite you or you'll turn into a zombie too!" she yelled.

Jinpachi and Jinrei both turned to look at her in annoyance. Jinpachi was the first to recover, his eyes rolling upwards. "I see your granddaughter has inherited your more endearing qualities," he noted dryly. "Are you sure I wouldn't be doing you a favour?"

"How I chose to discipline my family is a matter for me to decide alone," Jinrei answered him. "She must be allowed to make the same mistakes we did. We must allow the world to have its future."

"She will come to know suffering, and regret," Jinpachi answered. "Isn't it a greater crime to allow that perfect moment of innocence to be spoiled?"

Xiaoyu balled her fists together. "Hey! Stop talking about me like I'm not even standing here!" she yelled out. "I have news for you, old man!" she continued, her voice growing angry. "All that perfect innocence and beauty you're going on about is a big fat lie! Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't feel regret, or pain, or sadness!" she cried out.

"Xiaoyu—" Jinrei began to warn her, but she cut him off.

"No, grandpa. I have to say this." It was true; she felt as though she would burst if she didn't speak. Something told her that she and Jinrei were in great danger, that they might not make it off of the summit ever again. And the part of her that had mourned for Heihachi, that had lost Jin, that watched her friends almost die before her eyes beat against her chest, demanding to be released and known before it could be snuffed out. "You people always do this! You look at the past through your rose-coloured glasses and pretend that everything was better back then. Well guess what! Part of being human means suffering no matter how old you are! Maybe we children aren't as innocent as you think," Xiaoyu told him. "The only difference between us is that we haven't given up yet. We make our mistakes, we stumble and we fall, but we get back up and try all over again because we refuse to give up. We don't have a past to look back to yet. All we have is our future, and I won't let you take that away from us!" She slowed down, her breathing coming in large gasps, and glared at Jinpachi furiously. "I don't know what you're planning, but I bet it's bad! So don't use me as your excuse to justify doing it!"

Jinpachi stepped back, his face pulling into a long scowl. "You need to teach that headstrong girl to obey her elders," he growled at Jinrei.

Jinrei raised his arms again in a guard, his face drawn and his eyes hard. "I believe she has learned very well on her own." He spared Xiaoyu a glance, and gave her a silent nod of approval. "I could not be more proud of her than I am now," he added quietly.

Jinpachi watched them and another, almost foreign emotion chased across his face. "How fortunate you are, Jinrei," he said, his voice deepening. "To share the love of your family is a blessing the Mishima clan will never know." He dropped his head into his hand and a strong wind stirred across the plateau. "You must stop me, Jinrei. I cannot stop myself…" he said, his voice growing lower and beginning to echo across the fields.

"Grandpa, what's happening?" Xiaoyu choked out as a wave of nausea overtook her. Jinrei's lips tightened and he said nothing, staring at Jinpachi, who was surrounded by the circling winds.

Xiaoyu covered her mouth and gagged as the ground began to erupt violently around them with tunnels of howling, violent wind. The miniature tornados tore across the field, sending rocks and dust flying everywhere and making it hard to see. Squinting, she looked up and found the source of her illness; Jinpachi had doubled over, seeming to become impossibly larger than he already was. His eyes were on fire and a sickening black aura crawled across his flesh; it was so powerful she could see it with her naked eye.  _ I bet even Hwoarang could see this, _ Xiaoyu thought, trying to regain her equilibrium.

"Do not succumb to the evil!" Jinrei yelled at her above the dull roar of the wind. "We must fight him!" He looked tinier than ever compared to his huge opponent, but Jinrei sprung forward boldly, ignoring the wind that tore through his silken robes. Crouching down, he struck out with his left leg, kicking out Jinpachi's foot from under him. Lightning-fast, Jinrei was already rising, spinning around and slamming his right foot upwards in a high kick which connected against the huge man's head.

Jinpachi grunted and stumbled backwards, but he didn't fall. Instead, he laughed gutturally. It was an unpleasant, grating sound, like record being scratched by a needle. He brought his hands forward and struck Jinrei across the chest, lighting crackling around his arms.

"Grandpa!" Xiaoyu yelled as the lightning raced away from Jinpachi and sparked around Jinrei's body, paralysing him.

Jinpachi only laughed and struck his fist low, knocking a helpless Jinrei to the ground. "Now, you will die," he said, crouching down and raising his hand above the old man's face. He paused and grunted, looking up.

"Haah!" Xiaoyu yelled, twisting out of her hasty layout and landing on Jinpachi's shoulders. She tried to ignore the revolting feel that his black aura spread across her knees. Instead, she squeezed them around his neck tightly and brought her hands down soundly over his head. "Leave my grandpa alone!" she screamed, boxing his ears.

"Arrrg!" Jinpachi yelled, standing up and twisting around, trying to throw Xiaoyu off. "Insolent child! Get off of me!" he roared, finally reaching up and plucking her off of his back, throwing her to the ground at his feet.

Xiaoyu was on her feet instantly, adrenaline and fear fuelling her already-quick reflexes. She extended her leg out in a snap kick as she sprung up, hoping to catch Jinpachi in the face by surprise. Her foot connected successfully, but as she tried to pull her leg down, the huge man wrapped his meaty arms around it and held on tightly, raising his own leg. "Oh no!" she yelled as his massive foot flew into her stomach. "Ahh!" she screamed as she sailed through the air, landing heavily on the ground some distance away.  _ At least I got him, _ she thought muzzily as she tried to focus on her enemy. The howling wind and sandstorm didn't make it any easier. Still, with a touch of relief she heard Jinrei's shout rising over the wind.

"You will not harm my granddaughter!" his voice boomed. Xiaoyu sat up quickly, gasping in surprise as she saw sparks of purplish-white light circling around Jinrei's clenched palm. He drew his arm back slowly and then let it spring forward, like a snapped coil. The sparks trailed off of his hand in a bright comet, lighting their way through Jinpachi's dark, oppressive aura. "Yoooh!" Jinrei yelled as the blow connected. It was an impressive sight, the tiny man's punch packing enough force to physically lift Jinpachi's huge body off of the ground and go flying back several feet.

"The dragon power punch!" Xiaoyu said, scrambling to her feet. "You need to teach me how to do that, grandpa!" she cried happily as she raced to Jinrei's side.

"Maybe when you're older, my child," Jinrei said, shaking out his hand and giving her a wane smile.

"Did we get him?" Xiaoyu asked, squinting at the swirling sands. As if in answer, a loud grunt echoed across the plateau, and Jinpachi slowly rose out of the clouds. "Something's wrong," Xiaoyu said nervously as the air fluctuated around them.

Jinrei's eyes widened as he watched Jinpachi crouch down and clench his fists to his stomach, lighting crackling over his entire body. "This energy…" he mumbled. "Duck!" he yelled out as Jinpachi rose, his arms extending outward.

Xiaoyu screamed as she saw the fireball roar into life and hurtle towards them. Jinrei was already in moving out of the way, and Xiaoyu threw herself upwards in a desperate attempt to get out of searing path of flames. She felt a rush of heat at her back as she twisted around in the air, coming to land on the scorched, warm earth a moment later. "I made it!" she breathed in relief. The smell of something burned reached her nose, and she craned her neck over her shoulder in confusion.  _ Nothing hurts, so why... _ Her eyes widened as she found the source of the problem.

The furry little pouf hanging off of her costume gave a last gasp and burst apart, burned into cinders. The mangled remains of the cord that had been holding it to her belt flapped mournfully in the wind. Xiaoyu stared for a moment, then turned around, her face flushed red. "YOU BURNED OFF MY TAIL!" she screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Jinpachi. The huge man hesitated, having the decency to look mildly confused at her outraged declaration.

"This is no time to be thinking about your clothing!" Jinrei shouted at Xiaoyu as he rushed past her. He launched himself at the huge man, kicking Jinpachi into the air as he spun to the ground. Landing, he continued the turn smoothly and lunged forward, batting downward with a curled hand and then spreading his arms wide, the rapid blows keeping the huge man off balance before he could strike back. Then, with surprising agility, he fell onto his right hand and swept the ground out from under Jinpachi's feet with a sweeping kick, followed directly by a quick cartwheel that would have put Christie to shame.

"Wow," Xiaoyu mouthed in awe as she watched her old grandfather execute his attack more quickly than even she could. Jinpachi roared in pain and confusion, unable to muster the speed to recover and defend himself from the old man's lighting-fast stings. Finally, Jinrei spun to the side, his left arm jabbing into Jinpachi's face as he brought himself around to the back of the huge man.

"Xiaoyu! Finish him!" she heard her grandfather cry to her as he drove his elbow into Jinpachi's back, sending the huge man tripping towards her clumsily. She ducked low into her phoenix crouch, stabbing out with her leg to push the huge man backwards before he could fall and crush her under his massive weight. Then, she pushed herself further down, so low that she was sure she felt the ground scraping her chin and her ribs cracking open.  _ I won't miss this time, _ she swore silently, pushing herself off of the ground with her legs, sending her palms upwards in the most powerful wave crest she could muster. It sent Jinpachi flying backwards, and he landed with an earth-shaking thud, rolling onto his back and groaning.

The sound of the howling wind rose to an almost unbearable level, and Xiaoyu ducked over, covering her mouth with her hand and squeezing her eyes shut against the grit and dirt that flew through the air. Slowly, the tumult began to die down. The whistling of the spinning tornados dissolved into quiet, gentle gusts of wind, and the nauseating aura crept backwards. She could feel the remnants of the evil plaguing the summit washing away with each breath of air she sucked in, and after a while, Xiaoyu cautiously opened her eyes. "Grandpa!" she cried out worriedly, rising to her feet quickly as she saw him bent over Jinpachi's prone body. Her feet slowed down as she approached them, seeing that the huge man was no longer a threat. And to her surprise, she saw Jinrei's face twisted with sorrow.  _ Are those… tears? _ she wondered, stopping to watch and feeling slightly guilty for being an unexpected voyeur on what was obviously a private moment for her grandfather.

"Jinpachi!" Jinrei called out loudly, hefting the huge man's body into his arms with surprising strength.

The huge man coughed, looking frail and hollow despite his massive size. His eyes cracked open, and he smiled wanly. "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble…" he mumbled, struggling to catch his breath.

"Don't say such things!" Jinrei said. "We've been through so much and have always been like brothers," he scolded Jinpachi roughly, his eyes growing moist.

"Jinrei…" he mumbled, closing his eyes with a soft sigh. "I wish we could have had one last drink together… but I'm afraid my time has come." He coughed again and opened his eyes, turning his head towards Xiaoyu. "The future belongs to you now," he said. "Care for it, and this world, little one. Care for your family, and your friends…" His eyes trailed back to Jinrei, and reaching out with a quaking hand, he grabbed onto Jinrei's palm, who quickly drew it up to his chest. "… they are more precious than you know."

Xiaoyu held her breath, feeling a wave of sadness curl in her as she watched the old man dying. "I know," she whispered to herself quietly, watching her grandfather's pain as he held his best friend in his arms.  _ That could have been me… and Jin. I was so foolish before. _ She blinked, surprised to find a few tears in her own eyes.  _ I won't take them for granted, not ever again. _

"Goodbye, my dear friend. It was fun…" Jinpachi said. His head rolled back, and he slumped to the ground, and Jinrei let out a strangled cry as the large man's body burst into sand, running through his fingers.

"Jinpachi…" he murmured, grasping the sand in his palm and letting it run through his fingers. "May you finally have peace, my old friend." He lowered his head for a moment, his pain almost palatable, and when he looked up, he gave Xiaoyu a crooked, sad smile.

"Do you see now?  _ This _ is the curse of the Mishima bloodline," he said to her. "Destined for evil and unhappiness, a curse that can never be broken. Truly, no one deserves this," he said tiredly, rising to his feet.

Xiaoyu thought of Jin, his dark, brooding and beautiful face, and wondered if one day, he, too, would turn into sand. She reached for the feather at her neck; it brought her a strange sense of comfort. "Kazama blood is blessed," she answered quietly. "Maybe the curse can be broken."

Jinrei looked at the feather, his eyebrow rising slightly. "Perhaps you are right. All things have their balance; it is the way of the Tao."

Xiaoyu closed her eyes, letting her fingers drop away from her pendant. "I'm not Jin's yang," she whispered quietly. She felt rather than heard Jinrei as he came to her side; his presence was warm and comforting. They stood together for what seemed like an eternity, looking upwards. The sun was rising, sending blooms of soft pink and purple spreading across the early morning sky.

"A new day is dawning," he observed quietly.

"And the long night is finally over," Xiaoyu returned, this time stepping into his game willingly. She took comfort in his riddles, his understated phrases. They blunted the elation of her successes, but also helped dull the sharp edges of truth that came with those hard-earned victories. She felt another twinge of sadness, no longer sharp and all-consuming, but still enough to break her peaceful reverie. "Grandfather. What should I do now?" she asked in a small voice, feeling like a child again.

Jinrei chuckled softly, and she felt his hand loop around her shoulder and squeeze her gently. "You will always be my little sparrow," he said to her. "Perhaps it is time you return to the nest. Little Hong misses you very much, my dear child. You never did pay enough attention to your younger brothers. And I could always use help carrying my fish to the market. I am an old man, after all."

Xiaoyu blinked, squinting into the first rays of light as the sun rose over the horizon. "China…" she said quietly. "It seems so far away now. Is it really my home anymore?"

Jinrei released her and clasped his arms behind his back. "A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it."

Xiaoyu planted her hands on her hips. "Did you just call me a man?" she asked indignantly.

Jinrei snorted and turned away, beginning the long stroll towards the edge of the plateau and the winding road that would return them to civilization. "No respect for their elders at all," he mumbled loudly to himself.

Xiaoyu looked after him and suddenly, she felt an overwhelming sense of affection for her absent-minded, wise old grandfather. "I love you too," she said softly, a tiny smile playing across her lips. Then with a grin, she hurried to join him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I hope this final showdown satisfied everyone. I personally think Wang had the best non-comedy ending of the game, which is why I chose his version for this story. His last quote about home, by the way, is from George Moore. There is a short epilogue coming up, since there are still some questions: What happens to Xiaoyu now? Who does she choose to love in the end? Well… it's a surprise. You'll see! Thank you to all the reviewers, your comments have helped inspire and keep this fiction going so quickly. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say this fiction could not have been without your help.


	21. 20: Butterfly

_ There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go.  
_  -Tennessee Williams

So you're really going back to China?" Miharu's face was pulled into a sad frown, and Xiaoyu smiled at her reassuringly.

"Hey! It's not that far away, and I'll still email you," Xiaoyu said with a large smile. "Besides, I think I've overstayed my welcome in Japan," she said. She looked out of the hospital window and let out a sigh. "I really will miss this place, though." She paused and giggled. "Well, not this particular place. If I never see another hospital again, it'll be too soon!"

Miharu pulled at her blankets and smiled at Xiaoyu. "My parents told me you were here almost all the time after the accident. Thanks for staying with me." She winced and stretched, yawning with boredom. "I'm itching to get out of this place too. I feel fine! I don't see why the doctors have to keep me here for more tests!" she pouted.

"Well, I don't think they really believe in all this soul-stealing business," Xiaoyu said. "Just don't try to bring it up yourself, or they might keep you here even longer!" she added, twirling a finger at the side of her head and making a goofy face.

Miharu nodded in agreement, flopping back onto her pillows. "I still can't believe it myself," she admitted. "If I hadn't seen Jin with my own eyes, I would've thought you were crazy too." She looked at Xiaoyu thoughtfully. "What happened to Jin afterwards, anyway?"

Xiaoyu smiled, her hand dropping to the careworn feather pendant around her neck. "Well… he and Asuka decided they're going to return to her father's dojo. He's going to be living with them as a Kazama, I hear, and help train their students. I think it'll be good for him. With Asuka so close by, she can keep an eye on him in case he… relapses," she finished.

Miharu nodded. "Who can blame him for wanting to get out of Tokyo? The Mishima family is seriously messed up!" She looked at Xiaoyu appraisingly. "But are you really okay with that, Xiao? I mean, you were crazy about him for so long, weren't you?"

Xiaoyu smiled and leaned back in her chair, shrugging slightly. "This coming from you? You're the one who was always telling me to move on, you know!" she joked. Miharu rolled her eyes and Xiaoyu relented slightly. "I will miss him. That's not a lie," she said softly.

A slight knock on the door interrupted the two girls' conversation, and Xiaoyu looked up to see Julia peeking in. "Hey!" she smiled, jumping out of the chair and giving the older girl a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

Julia backed away and nodded at Miharu politely. "I just wanted to see that you two were alright. And I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye," she added. "I'm catching a flight back to the United States this afternoon." She smiled at Xiaoyu brightly. "I hear you're planning to travel, too. Are you sure you don't want to come back with me? My offer is still open."

Xiaoyu shook her head resolutely. "No thanks! It was hard enough learning Japanese, I don't want to start all over again with English," she admitted with a blush. "Besides. I'm going home, too. I think it's time I started being responsible."

Julia nodded slightly, and gave a little sigh. "I guess that means I'm going to have to fend off Steve by myself, then," she said with a note of annoyance. "Did you know that he scheduled to have his next few matches in California? He even matched his flight with mine! I'm beginning to think that he really  _ is _ that stalker."

Xiaoyu laughed and pinched Julia lightly in the arm. "Come on! It's fun to have a secret admirer! I think it's kind of sweet!"

Julia rolled her eyes helplessly, a faint blush staining her cheeks. "He's not exactly being very secret about it." She pursed her lips slightly. "Speaking of which, did you hear from Hwoarang yet?" she asked. "He's going back to Korea with Baek this evening, too. I think he's planning to meet you at the company headquarters later on."

Miharu sat up in the bed, her eyes glinting eagerly. "Ooooh," she said loudly. " _ Hwoarang? _ Is there something you're not telling me, Xiaoyu?" she teased.

Xiaoyu felt her face turn red and glared at Julia as the Native American smiled at her innocently. "Thanks for bringing it up," she mumbled under her breath. "Oh," she said quickly, waving her hand at Miharu nervously. "It's not what you think. He's just a friend I made at the tournament who helped us out."

"S-uuuuu-re," Miharu said with a satisfied smile. "So, is this  _ friend _ of yours cute?"

Xiaoyu crossed her arms and looked thoughtful. "Well… actually… no. I guess he's sort of good looking when he's not getting beaten up," she said cautiously, "…but it'd go straight to his head if anyone ever actually said that to his face.  _ Cute _ isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe him unless I really wanted to annoy him," she said with a wicked grin. "Thanks for the idea, Mi!"

Miharu let out a mock sigh of annoyance. "That's Xiaoyu for you. Let me know when you hit puberty, girl. I'll tell you about the birds and the bees." She let out a peal of laughter as Xiaoyu set on her, tickling her mercilessly.

Julia crossed her arms and watched the two friends tussle, and then cleared her throat gently. "Well… it was nice to see you again, Miharu. I really should be going, though. I don't want to miss my flight."

Xiaoyu pulled away from Miharu, her face pulled into a sad smile. "I have to go too. I told grandpa I'd meet him on the docks, and I still have something to take care of in the city."

Miharu fell silent, her eyes growing suspiciously watery. Xiaoyu quickly leaned forward, wrapping her arms around the other girl. "Hey, don't cry. I'll come visit you, I promise. Best friends, right?" she said. "Look on the bright side, now you'll have an excuse to take vacations in China. Nothing can keep us apart for good!"

Miharu sniffled loudly and cleared her throat. "I don't cry, Xiao. Crying's for babies," she scoffed, though when she pulled back, her eyes were red and puffy. "You better write," she said stiffly, pushing Xiaoyu towards the door. "Now get going, or do I have to chase you out of here?" she huffed.

"Goodbye, Mi," Xiaoyu said, giving her friend one last look as she left the room.

Julia was waiting in the hall, and together they walked out of the building in silence. When they finally exited the building and stood in the sunlight, a small silence stretched between them.

"You're going to see him before you leave, aren't you?" Julia said finally. "I can come with you if you want. It's my fault, really, so—"

Xiaoyu shook her head firmly. "No. Don't worry, I can handle myself. Officially, Heihachi won the tournament anyway. He's in control of the Corporation now, not Kazuya, so he has what he wanted. He'll probably just blame everything that happened on  _ 'my idiot son's incompetence' _ " she said, dropping her voice into a poor imitation of Heihachi's own. "It might be bad for you or Steve to show up there for a while, though," she added.

"If you're sure," Julia said hesitantly. Then, she looked at Xiaoyu, and smiled. "No, you are sure. And I can see that you can take care of yourself. You've really grown up," she said appreciatively. "I guess you don't need me hovering around you like a mother hen anymore," she added with a tiny smile.

Xiaoyu smiled at Julia. "Not really. But I could always use another sister." Then, blinking back her tears, she threw her arms around Julia and squeezed the older girl tightly. "I'll miss you!" she said. "Tell me when you've repaired your forests! I'll come visit them, I promise."

" _ If _ I restore the forests," Julia said, returning Xiaoyu's hug. "There might actually be a chance now that I have my data back. I can't thank you enough for that. You've helped me bring hope back to my tribe."

"When, not if," Xiaoyu said, reluctantly releasing the older girl and waving down a taxi. She turned around and gave Julia a large smile as the car pulled up to the curb. "I know we'll meet again. So I won't say goodbye right now. Until the next time!" she said, waving at Julia wildly.

Julia smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Until then," she answered, shutting the taxi door behind Xiaoyu. The car pulled away from the curb, and Xiaoyu leaned back and closed her eyes. "It's been a long tournament," she murmured. "I'm glad it's finally over," she added somewhat unconvincingly as she thought of her friends and the life she would be leaving behind. When the cab finally did pull up to her destination, the driver had to reach back and shake her to rouse her from her musing.

Tossing a few bills to the driver, she instructed him to wait and skipped out of the car. Standing in the shadow of the huge Mishima Corporation Headquarters, Xiaoyu paused to take a final look at the outside of the soaring skyscraper. "I still hate this building," she muttered to herself, making her way towards the revolving doors. Inside, she approached to the front desk, noticing that a garish golden head displaying Heihachi's spiky-haired likeness had already been erected in the center of the lobby. "Some things never change," she mumbled to herself.

"Can I help you, miss… oh, it's you!" The pretty secretary looked up from the desk, blinking her eyes in surprise. "You're Lee's cute little niece, aren't you?"

Xiaoyu squinted and looked at the woman closely. "Hey, you're the arm orna—uh, I mean, you're Uncle Lee's friend, aren't you?" she said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh," the secretary said, leaning in and whispering loudly. "After your uncle lost to Kazuya, he was going to return to the Bahamas. Mr. Mishima… Heihachi Mishima, I mean, offered him a post in the company when he regained control, though. Lee pulled a few strings for me. That's how I managed to secure this position," she said with a large wink.

Xiaoyu smirked. "Hah, so that's what happened to him. Totally predictable," she scoffed.

"Why whatever do you mean?" the secretary asked blankly. She held up a finger as the phone on the desk rang and picked up the receiver. "Yes? Why, yes, yes she is… oh? Yes sir, I'll send her right away." Putting down the phone, she smiled at Xiaoyu. "You've been requested upstairs."

Xiaoyu stiffened slightly, but carefully hid the surprise from her face. "Really? I just came here to pick up my things, I wouldn't want to interrupt—" she tried.

The secretary interrupted her quickly. "Oh no. This was a request from the boss himself. Please, make your way to the private elevators. They're right in the back over there," she said, pointing.

"Thanks," Xiaoyu muttered dryly. "I wouldn't have guessed." Seeing that her sarcasm was lost on the flighty woman, she walked slowly over to the elevators, trying to ignore her jangling nerves. As usual, two faceless guards were poised by the door, and she felt a strange sense of displacement as she pushed the button that would bring her to the top floor.  _ It's not home anymore.  _  She wrinkled her nose and checked the thought quickly;  _ it never was home, _ she amended. The bell dinged pleasantly, and the doors rolled open. She stepped inside, and to her displeasure, she realized that one of the guards followed her in. "Do I look like I need a babysitter?" she said loudly, eyeing the silent Tekken Force guard apprehensively.

Instead of replying, the guard only tapped the button for the penthouse. Xiaoyu waited in tense silence as they ascended to the top floor and she was escorted to the main office. When she finally pushed open the heavy wooden doors to Heihachi's office, the guard didn't follow her in. Xiaoyu didn't notice; her eyes were drawn to the large desk at the front of the room, and the chair that was facing the window behind it. Instead of only one black spike protruding from its tip, this time two white ones gave away the identity of man in the chair. It spun around slowly, and Xiaoyu had a strange sense of deja-vu. It vanished as she saw Heihachi's wide smile, a far cry from the icy smirk Kazuya had always worn.

"Ah, little Ling," Heihachi boomed, standing up and holding his arms out. "I was told you did well in the tournament!" He approached her quickly and gave her a perfunctory hug, complete with a few patronizing taps on the back. "That's a good girl, you were right to stand up to my ignorant son."

"Thanks," Xiaoyu said softly. She didn't bother to check if Heihachi had heard her or to return his embrace; she knew he wasn't listening. In fact, he had already released her and was pacing away, continuing his speech.

"I've heard you wish to return to China with your grandfather. Nonsense, of course! If you're going back because of what that incompetent fool Kazuya…" he paused, his fist clenching as he mentioned his son's name, "… did to your Panda, I can assure you that we can arrange to have her brought back to Japan on the first flight…"

"Heihachi," Xiaoyu interrupted quietly. She felt her eyebrow tick as he continued to speak.

"… and naturally, your education at Mishima Industrial College…"

"Umm, Heihachi," she tried again, this time louder.

"… as a tournament celebrity, you could even do some publicity for the Corporation. I'll order a few new costumes for…"

Xiaoyu sighed and stomped across the room. Heihachi was looking out his window, continuing his tirade, and she poked him harshly in the arm to get his attention.

"… can star in the promotional television commercial as soon as next month… eh?" He looked down, raising a bushy grey eyebrow at Xiaoyu. "Is something wrong, my little Ling?"

_ Everything, _ she thought as she looked up at Heihachi's oblivious face. "Thank you for everything you've done, sir," she said formally, bowing deeply to Heihachi. "But my mind's made up. I'm going back to China. No more college, no more Panda, no more costumes, and absolutely no tournament commercials," she said firmly. "I'm done, and I'm leaving, and that's final."

Heihachi's face lowered into a thunderous frown, and he glared at Xiaoyu. "Do you understand what you're saying?" he said to her, narrowing his eyes. "Wang Jinrei is a good man, but he has no business sense at all. He continues to live in the squalor of that backwater country of his, peddling those ridiculous fish!"

Xiaoyu bit her lip, refusing to let her face twist into a scowl at Heihachi's coarse words. She knew he wasn't trying to offend her; he simply didn't realize that he was being offensive. Like every other Mishima before and after him, Heihachi suffered from an intense case of tunnel vision. He had, at least, been kind to her, and so she put on her best childish face.

"Aww, I'll miss you, gr-" she choked slightly on the words. "G-grandpa Heihachi," she finished, throwing her arms around him and squeezing him tightly. "I'm really worried about my mama, though! I just have to go back!" She stood back, her eyes watering dramatically with tears as she clasped her hands under chin. "Please please please let me go!" Seeing his eyebrow lift only slightly, Xiaoyu decided it was time for the big guns. She dropped her hands and planted them squarely on her hips. "If you don't let me go, I'll throw a temper tantrum right here," she added dangerously with a huge pout. "I'll cry, I mean it!"

"Fine! Fine!" Heihachi roared, throwing his hand up. "I give up! Go back to China with Wang then," he grumbled irritably.

"Thanks!" Xiaoyu cheered, turning and flouncing towards the door. She stopped as she heard Heihachi call out to her.

"Ling. Do you have any last requests before you leave? Consider it my parting gift to you." His voice was gruff, and she wondered for a moment if she heard a touch of sadness. Then she remembered it was Heihachi, and shook the silly notion away.

_ Him, miss me? Maybe for two whole minutes when he needs someone to cheer him up, _ she thought wryly. A wide smile crossed her face. "Oh… there is something you could do for me," she sang. "I'd like a new bike delivered to the front of the building as soon as possible," she told him. "Top of the line, and pronto."

"A new bicycle? That won't be a problem," he told her, reaching for his phone.

"I meant a new motorcycle," Xiaoyu corrected innocently.

Heihachi gave her a look of pure disbelief. "You ride motorcycles?" he asked, his tone disapproving. Seeing her smile, his face dropped into an angry scowl. "No motorcycles for my little Ling! I forbid it!" he shouted.

Xiaoyu glared at Heihachi and pointed a finger at him. "You said  _ any _ last requests. No take-backs!" she yelled.

Heihachi ground his teeth together. "You're starting to take after that old miser Wang. Fine, it's done. Now get out of my sight!" he grumbled.

Xiaoyu giggled and gave him a quick wave, then left the office feeling pleased with herself. She stopped by her old room to collect a few of her more precious belongings, and then, burdened by her suitcases but with a very light heart, she allowed the elevator to carry her downstairs for the last time. When the doors finally rolled open, she took a few wobbly steps into the lobby, struggling under the weight of her bags. "Ugh, how did I manage to collect so much crap in just two years?" she wondered out loud, staggering towards the door.

"I'd guess it's 'cause you're a damn packrat," a familiar voice sneered obnoxiously, and Xiaoyu yelped and tipped over, spilling her carefully balanced load across the lobby floor.

She sighed crossly and pushed her bangs out of her face, trying to remember not to be annoyed on her last day in Japan. "You could've helped instead of laughed, you know," she said to Hwoarang, who was sauntering across the lobby to meet her.

"Where's the fun in that, Sunshine?" he said to her lazily. His grin was infectious, and despite her annoyance, Xiaoyu couldn't stay upset at the cocky redhead. "So you're really leavin' this cushy lifestyle behind," Hwoarang said with a sweep of his hand. "That's gotta be tough."

"It's not as cushy as you think," Xiaoyu corrected him. "Besides, it's time I went home anyway. Julia said you were going back to Korea too," she added.

Hwoarang gave her a curt nod, and then to her surprise, he began to help her gather her fallen bags, even picking up a few and swinging them over his back.

"Hey, are you actually being charitable?" Xiaoyu said with surprise.

Hwoarang paused briefly and looked annoyed. "Are you sayin' I can't be nice every once in a while?" he asked her.

Unable to resist her mischievous impulse, she reached out and pinched his cheek. "Aww! That's so  _ cute! _ " she cooed loudly. As expected, a look of disgust passed over Hwoarang's face and he slapped her hand away.

"Damn. That's the last time I help you carry anything around," he muttered as Xiaoyu stifled a giggle. "You know, you're probably not gonna see me for a while. You sure you don't wanna…" His sentence trailed off as a lone figure detached itself from the corner and moved in front of the revolving doors. His face pulled down into a long scowl, but he glanced to his side and saw that Xiaoyu had stopped cold. The scowl faded slightly, and he shrugged. "I'll wait for you outside, Sunshine," he told her curtly and pushed his way brusquely past the figure and out of the door.

Jin didn't bother to spare a glance towards Hwoarang as he brushed by; he kept his gaze locked on Xiaoyu, who remained silent. A few moments passed, and then he spoke.  _ "Sunshine?" _ he asked her, lifting one eyebrow.

"It'd take too long to explain," Xiaoyu answered, rolling her eyes. "Besides, it sounds better than 'crybaby' and 'spoiled brat,' so I guess it's an improvement."

Jin's mouth twisted up ever so slightly, and Xiaoyu recognized one of his miniscule smiles. Impulsively, she dropped her bags and stepped forward, grabbing Jin's hands in her own. "I'm so glad you're alright," she told him earnestly. "I was really scared we weren't going to make it there for a while."

Jin looked down at their joined hands, appearing vaguely uncomfortable. "I don't remember very much," he began slowly. "Bits and pieces, like a disjointed dream…" He shook his head, his hands clenching hers reflexively. "More like a nightmare," he finished lowly. Then he looked up, his dark eyes focused on her face. "I know I was a beast to you. I couldn't control myself." He sounded angry, his voice fierce and unforgiving, though Xiaoyu knew it was directed at himself and not her. He squeezed her hands again, consciously this time, and spoke hesitantly. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, Xiaoyu. I hope I'm not the one who's driving you off."

She felt a twinge of sadness, thinking of the secrets the white-winged demon had revealed.  _ "He drowns in his own sorrows; his own concerns consume his every thought." _ Taking a deep breath, Xiaoyu pulled her hands out of Jin's grasp. She sighed as she saw him flinch, already knowing that he was misreading her action as a rejection. Reaching up, she cupped her hands around his face, and he recoiled in shock at the intimate gesture. She refused to let go, however, pulling his head back down towards her own.

"You're not the reason I'm leaving," Xiaoyu told him sternly. "You're one of the reasons I considered staying, actually," she admitted. "But you have to promise me something before you go," she added, fixing her eyes on his own. "Hang on to your new life with Asuka and her family. Accept them as your own. Don't shut them out like you do everyone else. Can you promise me that?" She stared at him intently, hoping for an answer.

Jin looked surprised, but he didn't pull away from her touch. She could see he was wrestling with his thoughts, unable to completely hide the flickering of emotion in his eyes, and Xiaoyu held her breath as his lips parted slightly. "I…" he struggled, and Xiaoyu's heart fluttered with hope.

_ If he called out to me right now, if he said just one single word, then I would… _

"... I can't," he finished, his mouth falling closed, and his face returning to the impassive mask that she knew so well.

A sharp twinge of sadness stirred in her breast, and Xiaoyu sighed gently.  _ Oh Jin… this was my puzzle now, and you just dropped the piece. _ She let the disappointment settle around her, and willed it to pass through her and flow out through her toes. It took a few moments and didn't work as well as she had hoped, but when she felt herself calm down, she pulled Jin's head down and touched her forehead against his. His breath tickled her face, and she smiled.

"You're really leaving?" he asked her roughly, still sounding surprised, as though the idea was completely foreign to him.

Instead of answering, Xiaoyu shut her eyes. "Good luck dealing with your family. Both of them," she whispered to him. Then she released his face and backed away, bending down and picking up her suitcase. She could feel his eyes on her as she turned and pushed her way out of the revolving doors, but she refused to look back.

Outside, Hwoarang was standing next to her cab, her suitcases already neatly packed inside. He didn't notice her come; he was too busy staring at the shining hunk of metal that was parked outside of the building.

"Love at first sight?" Xiaoyu called out, tapping him on the shoulder.

Hwoarang blinked and glanced at Xiaoyu distractedly. "Huh? Oh… yeah, yeah," he said carelessly, his eyes still drinking in the sight of the chrome and steel-plated motorcycle.

"At least try to control your drooling," Xiaoyu said as she skipped over to the bike and plucked the keys from the ignition. "Well, Heihachi does work fast," she mumbled quietly to herself, noting that the engine was still warm.

"Holy shit! That bike is yours?" Hwoarang said, flabbergasted. He choked and fumbled in the air clumsily as Xiaoyu sent the keys sailing in his direction.

"Naw, it's yours," she said with a grin. "I have no idea how you're going to get this thing to Korea. Maybe if you go fast enough you can drive it over the water," she joked.

Hwoarang was still staring at the motorcycle like a starving man who had just entered an all-you-can-eat-buffet. "Wha-how-but-wha—" he sputtered, groping for a coherent sentence. "You did this?" he managed to finally ask.

Xiaoyu nodded wildly. "It's a goodbye present from the Mishima Corporation. Try not to commit too many felonies with it," she laughed.

Hwoarang broke into a large grin and crushed his arms around Xiaoyu, whooping as he picked her up and swung her around wildly. "Whoo yeah!" he shouted joyfully as she beat at his shoulders.

"Put me down! You're embarrassing me!" she yelled, and Hwoarang finally relented, letting her go though the mad grin was still stretched across his face.

"You know Sunshine," he said as he tossed the last of her bags inside of the waiting cab, "I'm only gonna give you until the next tournament to get over that bastard," he told her lightly, tossing his head over his shoulder at the huge skyscraper. Slamming the trunk shut, he opened the passenger door and leaned against it, waiting for her to approach.

Xiaoyu smirked. "Sure thing, loser. Keep dreaming!" she told him, sticking out her tongue. As she ducked to enter the car, his arm snaked out and caught hers, holding her back. "Hey, what's the big idea?" she started angrily, glaring at Hwoarang. She paused and held her breath as he leaned towards her. The smile that was on his face gone and his eyes were dark and serious, burning with the fire that he normally reserved for one of his opponents.

"I mean it. Next tournament, no breaks, no excuses, no Jin. I can wait until then. But next time we meet, I'm gonna get you," he swore.

Xiaoyu pressed her lips together. "What is it with tough guys like you?" she said to him irritably. "Why do you always have to get the last word in? It's not like it's only your decision!" With a quick circular twist, she tore her arm from his grasp and pushed her hand into his chest. Instead of knocking him back with the move, however, she wrapped her fingers tightly around the leather of his vest and pulled him in. She enjoyed the look of shock that flashed over Hwoarang's face and then, steeling herself, she closed her eyes and planted a solid, messy kiss directly on his lips. Hwoarang stiffened, and Xiaoyu gave herself a smug mental pat of congratulations. When she felt her point was made, she released him and reversed her push into a hit, sending him sprawling backwards in surprise onto the sidewalk. He looked up at her dumbly, for once speechless, and she saluted him. "Thanks for teaching me a lot about myself," she called out seriously. Then her face split into a smug grin. "You know, I guess this means  _ you _ owe  _ me _ twice now! We'll talk about that next time, okay?" And with that, she hopped into the cab and slammed the door before he could form a coherent answer.

After a moment, Hwoarang managed to push himself off of the sidewalk, shaking his head in disbelief. "Damn," he muttered to himself. Slowly, a grin broke over his face, and he tossed the keys in his hand into the air. The revolving door of the building gave a quiet whoosh as it expelled another person from the Mishima Corporation headquarters, and Hwoarang turned around as the sound of footsteps grew closer. He gave Jin a wolfish smile as the dark-haired man approached him.

"Huh. So you're still here," Jin said, narrowing his eyes at Hwoarang. "Don't tell me you were waiting outside so you could pick another fight with me," he said wearily. "When are you going to grow up?"

Hwoarang smirked. "Fuck that. I really am gonna beat you next time." He strode over to his new bike and swung a leg over it, starting the engine.

Jin stared after the Korean, his face a mixture of boredom and disgust. "Is fighting all you ever think about, Hwoarang?" he asked after a moment.

Hwoarang paused, sparing a glance back at Jin. "I wasn't talkin' about fighting." Then with a smirk, he revved the engine and peeled away from the curb, leaving a strip of smoking black rubber on the street behind him.

**\- x – x – x -**

Xiaoyu stood on the deck of the boat, trying to ignore the pungent smell rising from the water. The ship was already being tugged out to sea, fulfilling its promising to carry her back to China. Still, she couldn't just relax in her cabin and let Japan slip away; two years had left a lot of memories, and she wanted to treasure every last moment she had.  _ Even the smelly ones, _ she noted, holding her nose.

A soft chuckle alerted her to her grandfather's presence and Jinrei approached the railing, leaning on its side. "The more you try to ignore it, the more it will bother you," he told her conversationally. "Not to mention that you're making a very rude gesture of farewell to the Japanese," he added.

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes and dropped her hand away from her face. "I know! I better get used to this stink, right?" she complained.

Jinrei shrugged slightly. "You wouldn't have to if that miserable miser Heihachi had only given you a sizable parting gift," he grumbled.

"Umm, yeah, about that," Xiaoyu said, giggling nervously.

Jinrei cracked an eye open, and then grabbed his head. "Ai-yaaah! He did offer you something, didn't he, and you turned him down!"

"Sorta," Xiaoyu said. She giggled as her grandfather moaned comically while calculating their potential loss. "Aren't you always the one always saying that money isn't everything?" she interrupted him.

"It may not be everything, but it  _ is  _ something," Jinrei said mournfully. Then he caught Xiaoyu's eye, and they both burst out laughing. "Ahh, little sparrow," he said finally when they had quieted down. "You've grown so much while I wasn't watching. It can be very difficult to leave behind the things which have changed us."

Turning around, Xiaoyu leaned back against the railing, facing the open horizon on the sea. "It was time to go," she said honestly.  _ Still… it doesn't feel right. I wish Jin hadn't left me so cold. _ She sighed in resignation; she was slowly coming to accept the fact that she couldn't change his brooding nature.  _ Would he really still be Jin if I did? _ she wondered to herself.

"Xiaoyu," Jinrei said to her gently. "Turn around and say goodbye while you can."

Xiaoyu closed her eyes. "I can't stand looking backwards anymore," she answered.

"Ah, my little sparrow. But you have a visitor."

Xiaoyu's eyes popped open. "What?" She twisted around, looking back at the shore. A tall figure was standing on the edge of the dock. She could still see the unmistakable sweep of his dark hair. "It's Jin!" she said, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Xiaoyu!" Jin's hands were cupped over his mouth, carrying his shout clearly over the water.

_ He actually came to say goodbye! _ she thought, feeling light-headed. "Jiiiin!" she called out, leaning over the railing and waving at him wildly. He was staring at her, and her heart soared, because in that moment, she knew that he, the real Jin, cared.  _ Maybe he changed his mind… maybe living with Heihachi again wouldn't be so bad… _ she thought to herself, eyeing the water speculatively and wondering how difficult it would be to leap off and swim back to shore.  _ Maybe he'll be able to say it now! _ In that moment, all she wanted to do was race to shore and throw her arms around Jin's neck. Her knuckles whitened around the ship's railing, and her breath came out in short gasps.

"What will you do, my little sparrow?" Jinrei's gentle voice was like a lance through her bubble of excitement. He kept his tone carefully neutral, but he was eyeing her with a knowing look.

Xiaoyu turned her head back towards the shore. Jin was still there, his attention focused completely on her.  _ What do I do? _ she asked herself, confused. She thought about her feelings for Jin, and she weighed them against her feelings for Hwoarang.  _ So different, and so similar, _ she realized faintly.  _ I wonder what Julia would say. _ The breeze stirred, catching at the feather hanging off of her neck. She gripped it in her hand tightly, and closed her eyes.

A simple thought occurred to her.  _ Why does it matter what Julia would say? Why does it matter what anyone would say? _ And to her surprise, she realized she didn't care what anyone else thought. With that decision came a feeling of peace. She drew in a deep breath. "It's my life, I can think for myself. I won't start it by chasing after the past."

Jinrei smiled and dipped his head, turning away and leaving her alone at the railing.

Clutching the feather pendant in her hand, she smiled at Jin. "Xiaoyu means Morning Rain, the cleansing water that washes away the stains of the past so a new day can dawn," she said quietly.  _ I'm ready to face that day on my own now.  _  Then, with a quick snap, she jerked at the pendant violently, tearing the chain off of her neck. "Maybe next time," she said, leaning back and throwing it into the ocean. It circled in the breeze for a moment, glinting pure and white like a diamond catching the rays of the setting sun. Then with a tiny splash, it landed on the ocean, where it was quickly swallowed into the depths of the dark water. She looked up and saw Jin still watching her, and a huge smile spread across her face. With a sudden burst of energy, she threw herself against the railing, leaning precariously over the edge. She cupped her hands over her mouth and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air. "SEE YOU NEXT TOURNAMENT!" she shouted as loudly as she could, laughing with sheer joy.

**_\- fin -_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Well, this is really the conclusion of the story. I like endings that leave "satisfying questions" open to the imagination. I hope this answers the pairing issue for you guys, or at least gives you lots of good things to speculate about. :-) Thank you all for your wonderful comments and support during the course of writing this unexpected monster of a fiction. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I would single out a few anonymous posters who didn't leave behind emails how much I enjoyed their commentary, if wouldn't delete my story's ass for doing so. Suffice to say, I think you guys know who you are, and I give you my heartfelt thanks and gratitude. For those of you who do stumble across this fiction at a later date, please, please, PLEASE leave a review. I always like to know what readers think of my writing; it helps shape my style and correct future mistakes. Be assured, I read and consider every single one, no matter when it's left. And with that, I will take my good mentor Mr. Williams' advice, and wish you all the best of luck in your own fiction writing.


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